[What should you tell your patient who has an inguinal hernia?].

Surgery of the inguinal hernia has undergone rapid progress in a decade. Evaluation of new techniques, prothetic and laparoscopic, are often confusing. Comparison with classical surgery may seem difficult to the non surgeon. Though, the general practitioner keeps an important place in caring for patients with this particular pathology. The importance of economical repercussion involved by hernia pathology and knowledge of the different techniques at disposition and their outcome should allow him to objectively guide his patient who is more and more informed through the media and the web.