Postoperative comfort after plug-and-patch repair of recurrent inguinal hernia.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate postoperative comfort after the plug-and-patch repair.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

University hospital, Germany.

SUBJECTS

From July 1995 until August 2000, 93 consecutive patients with recurrent inguinal hernia were operated on using the plug-and-patch technique.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Postoperative comfort assessed by pain (visual analogue score), analgesic requirements, duration of hospital stay, and restriction of daily activities.

RESULTS

Postoperative pain decreased continuously from the morning of the first postoperative day (median VAS: 5.4; range 1.2-6.9) until day 13 (VAS <1). The median amount of analgesics given to the patients for 4 days was dipyrone 5.2 g (range 2.1-8.4). Median duration of hospital stay was 5 (2-14) days, limitation of daily activities 6 days (range 3-17) and 34 patients who were employed had returned to work after 21 days (range 8-42).

CONCLUSIONS

Plug-and-patch repair offers a high degree of comfort to patients with recurrent inguinal hernia.