title: A 10-year follow-up study on endoscopic total extraperitoneal repair of primary and recurrent inguinal hernia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine whether endoscopic repair is favorable in the long term, follow-up recurrence rates after 10 years need to be assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1995 and January 1996, 306 consecutive patients underwent total extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair. Long-term follow-up assessment occurred from January 2006 to May 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a 10-year follow-up period, six (4%) recurrences were found in the primary inguinal hernia group and three recurrences (11%) in the recurrent inguinal hernia group. Age, experience, hospital stay, and operating time were not significantly correlated with recurrences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term results of TEP primary inguinal hernia repair demonstrate it to be an effective and safe procedure with an acceptable recurrence rate. Recurrence rates may be underestimated because the findings show that recurrences continue to occur for as long as 10 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ikazia Hospital, P.O. Box 5009, Montessoriweg 1, 3008 AN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staarink
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: van Veen
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Weidema
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome