Inguinal Hernia and Comparison between Mesh Repair and Conventional Repair of Hernia with Respect to Hernia Recurrence: A Clinical Study

Introduction: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common problems of mankind. Since the period of Hippocrates (4th century BC), the disease has been known and various palliative treatment methods were adopted. Historically the development of hernia surgery is one of the most interesting chapters in the field of surgery since hernias have always been the most common applications of man amenable to surgical treatment. Materials and Methods: The study has been made of 60 cases of inguinal hernia who were admitted in various surgical units of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Warangal. This however does not include all the inguinal hernias admitted during the said period. Results: General incidence of inguinal hernia Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Warangal is 8.3%. The majority of the patients were in the age group of 40-69 years. Males are commonly affected by inguinal hernia (sex ratio: M: F 19:1). Smoking is associated with increased incidence of inguinal hernia. Conclusion: Lichtenstein mesh repair has significantly reduced complications, less hospital stay, low recurrence rate, less duration of surgery, and early return to work when compared to the conventional repair.