title: Outpatient repair for inguinal hernia in elderly patients: still a challenge?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elective inguinal hernia repair as a day case is a safe and suitable procedure, with well-recognized feasibility. The increasing number of elderly patients requiring inguinal hernia repair leads clinicians to admit a growing number of outpatients. The aim of the current study was to analyze the outcomes (feasibility and safety) of day case treatment in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty patients >80 years of age and 80 patients ≤55 years of age underwent elective inguinal hernia repairs under local anesthesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no mortalities or major complications in the elderly undergoing inguinal herniorraphies as outpatients, and only one unanticipated admission occurred in the younger age group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elective inguinal hernia repair in the elderly has a good outcome, and age alone should not be a drawback to day case treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: piergaspare.palumbo@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Piergaspare
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: chiara.amatucci@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amatucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: bruno.perotti86@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: antonio_zullino@infinito.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zullino
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: claudia.dezzi@libero.it.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dezzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giulio.illuminati@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Illuminati
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery "R. Paolucci", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.vietri@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vietri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Day surgery; Elderly; Inguinal hernia