Long-term results of repair of the internal ring for primary inguinal hernia.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the long-term results of repair of the internal ring for primary inguinal hernia.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University hospital, Denmark.

SUBJECTS

1159 patients with primary unilateral inguinal hernia.

INTERVENTIONS

Repair of the internal ring--annulorrhaphy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Recurrence during the median observation period of 10 years (range 1-17).

RESULTS

Eighty-four (7%) were women, and the overall median age was 49 years (range 18-90). The overall recurrence rate calculated by life table analysis was 18%. Twenty-one of the recurrences were indirect hernias (49%), 11 were direct (26%), 8 were combined direct and indirect (19%) and 3 (7%) were femoral hernias.

CONCLUSION

Repair of the internal ring alone carries an unacceptably high recurrence rate.