title: [Spinal anesthesia versus general anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair: propensity score analysis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Administrative database, used previously for control of cost, patient flow and invoicing, offer to researchers a large sample of patients representative of population providing interesting information's in the field of descriptive and analytic epidemiology with less cost.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare spinal to general anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair concerning a population extracted from administrative database after propensity matched analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study concerning 4690 hospitalizations in Department B of General Surgery of Charles Nicolle hospital during a period of 18 months, between June 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2009. A descriptive analysis followed by a comparison between spinal and general anesthesia according propensity matched analysis were performed. Résultats: 595 inguinal hernias were operated on. Mean age was 55±15.We mentioned a male predominance: 326 men (84.2%) and 61 women (15.8%). 137 patients had previous medical diseases(35.4%). 47(12.1%) patients were operated on in emergent situation on the other hand 340(87.9%) had elective surgery.264(68.2%) were ASA I, 110(28.4%) ASA II, 13(3.4%) ASA III. Post operative course were uneventful in 96.1% (372) and complicated in 11 patients (2.9%).Four deaths were observed (1%). Comparison before and after propensity matched analysis showed a statistical difference regarding postoperative stay and all hospital stay in favor of spinal anesthesia (p=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative stay is significantly shorter in the group of spinal anesthesia (p=0.007). A randomized clinical trial comparing spinal anesthesia to general anesthesia is needed.
authors.affiliation: Hopital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Samaali
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Osman
authors.forename: Riadh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bedoui
authors.forename: Ibtissem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bouasker
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chaker
authors.forename: Anis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slama
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houissa
authors.forename: Ramzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nouira
authors.forename: Chadli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dziri
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D057216:Propensity Score; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia