title: Inguinal hernia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main risk factors for inguinal hernia are male sex and increasing age. Complications of inguinal hernia include strangulation, intestinal obstruction, and infarction. Recurrence can occur after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of elective treatments for primary unilateral, primary bilateral, and recurrent inguinal hernia in adults? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to September 2007 (BMJ Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 24 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: expectant management, open mesh repair, open suture repair, totally extraperitoneal (TEP) laparoscopic repair, and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) laparoscopic repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosurgery and Surgical Technology, Imperial College, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Purkayastha
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
authors.forename: Paris
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tekkis
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darzi
mesh_terms: D006552:Hernia, Inguinal; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction; D010535:Laparoscopy; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013537:Sutures; D016896:Treatment Outcome