title: The Shouldice technique for the treatment of inguinal hernia.
abstract: The Shouldice repair has been refined over several decades and is the gold standard for the prosthesisfree treatment of inguinal hernias. A recurrence rate around 1% has been consistently demonstrated over the years. The objective of this paper is to outline and highlight the key principles, including the dedicated pre-operative preparation, the use of local anesthesia, a complete inguinal dissection and the eponymous four-layered reconstruction. A knowledge and understanding of inguinal hernia anatomy and the patho-physiology of recurrence are vital to achieving a long-term success and patient satisfaction for a pure tissue repair.
authors.affiliation: Shouldice Hospital, 7750 Bayview Avenue, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 4A3, Canada.
authors.forename: Chin Keung
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chan