title: National register study of operating time and outcome in hernia repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between operating time and reoperation for recurrence and other complications in groin hernia repairs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational population-based register study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the nationwide Swedish Hernia Register, which prospectively collects data from almost all groin hernia repairs performed in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 123,917 primary groin hernia repairs recorded in the Swedish Hernia Register from January 1, 1998, through December 31, 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relative risk of reoperation for recurrence and odds ratios for postoperative complications in 4 operating time groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative risk of reoperation for recurrence of all patients operated on in less than 36 minutes was 26% higher than that of all patients with an operating time of more than 66 minutes (1.26; 95% CI, 1.11-1.43). Because the Lichtenstein procedure is the standard procedure in Sweden today, its results were also analyzed separately. In this homogeneous group, the difference was even more striking with an increased relative risk of 45% (1.45; 95% CI, 1.21-1.75). The odds ratio for infection and other postoperative complications increased with increasing operating time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant decrease in reoperation for recurrence with increasing operating time exhorts the hernia surgeon to avoid speed and to maintain thoroughness throughout the procedure.
authors: Department of Surgery, Östersund Hospital, Östersund, Sweden.
authors: Willem
authors: W
authors: van der Linden
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Warg
authors: Pär
authors: P
authors: Nordin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006119:Groin; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome