Patient satisfaction, hernia recurrence rate, and chronic pain 10 years after endoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair.
BACKGROUND
Long-term outcome data after total endoscopic preperitoneal hernia repair are scarce. This study reports the 10-year results after endoscopic total extraperitoneal hernia repair in terms of recurrence rates and various patient-orientated indicators of quality of life.


METHODS
Between July 1995 and April 2000, 107 consecutive patients underwent endoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair. The follow-up assessment between December 2007 and June 2008 included a clinical examination and a patient questionnaire.


RESULTS
Sixty-three patients (64.3%) with 108 hernias attended follow-up, an average of 115.7 months (range 91 to 148 mo) after the index operation. The incidence of recurrence was 2.8%, of chronic pain 15.9%, and of foreign body sensation 33.3%. Patient satisfaction measured on the Visual Analogue Scale was high with a median of 9.6 (range 0.3 to 10).


CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic total extraperitoneal hernia repair is a safe and effective procedure with excellent long-term results and an extremely high rate of patient satisfaction.
Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital Graubünden, Chur, Switzerland.
Ralph Fabian
RF
Staerkle
Christian
C
Buchli
Peter
P
Villiger
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome