The ePTFE patch in inguinal hernia repair: one surgeon's experience with 246 consecutive cases

Summary The aim of the study was to analyse the results of a single surgeon with a consecutive series of patients operated on for inguinal hernia with an ePTFE prosthesis. 246 inguinal hernias in 203 patients were operated on by Lichtenstein's technique using ePTFE prostheses. All patients were males aged between 27 and 92 who, barring one who was emergency-operated, were on an elective surgery list. Lichtenstein's technique with an ePTFE (77 Soft-Tissue Patch? and 169 MycroMesh?) prosthesis was used. General anesthesia was used in 122 patients, spinal in 79 and local in one. There were 27 type II hernias of the Nyhus classification, 96 type IIIa, 88 type IIIb and 35 type IV. There were no deaths or wound infections. The most frequent complication was inguino-scrotal hematoma on eight occasions and subcutaneous hematoma in nine, cutaneous paresthesiae in 13, pain in 7, seroma in 1 and testicular atrophy and orchitis in 1. After a mean follow-up of 35 months only one recurrence was detected after 17 months in one patient. Lichtenstein's technique is a simple and safe procedure for the repair of any type of inguinal hernia. The MycroMesh? prosthesis is easy to handle and has shown perfect tolerance and manageability.