Wantz hernioraphy at emergency vs elective status

Introduction: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common urgent problems encountered by surgeons. Material-Methods: Patients, who underwent surgery due to inguinal hernia diagnosis between February 1999 and February 2016, were investigated retrospectively. There were 1345 patients treated due to inguinal hernia diagnosis. Out of 250 patients who were operated under emergency conditions, 171 patients were operated within the first nine years and 79 patients were operated within the last eight years. 131 patients (106 male and 25 female) were treated with unilateral open preperitoneal mesh repair. Patients treated with unilateral preperitoneal mesh repair were assessed in two groups according to surgery conditions such as those with preperitoneal hernia repair under emergency conditions (group 1) and those with preperitoneal hernia repair under elective conditions (group 2). Results: There were total of 124 patients included in the study; in which 54 of them (37 male and 17 female, range of age: 43-92) (group 1) were operated under emergency conditions and 70 of them (61 male and 9 female, range of age: 21-88) (group 2) were operated under elective conditions. The mean age was 67 in group 1 and 58 in group 2. There was comorbidity in 28 patients of group 1 and 16 patients of group 2. 27.7% (n=15) of patients who underwent emergent surgery due to incarceration, while 38.5% (n=27) of patients who were operated under elective conditions had been operated due to hernia on the same side before. There were 10 femoral hernias in group 1 and 2 femoral hernia in group 2. Conclusion: There is no difference between postoperative complication and recurrence rates in inguinal hernia patients operated under elective conditions and inguinal hernia patients operated under emergency conditions with open preperitoneal mesh repair technique. Successful results were obtained even in the presence of surgical site contamination. It is noteworthy for open anterior preperitoneal repair that surgery can be finished with a single incision especially in cases accompanying strangulation. It is cheaper than laparoscopic repair, leads pain control and lack of neuropathic pain, has less testicular complications, and it is more advantageous than other open techniques (such as Lichtenstein). © 2018 Surgical Society of Northern Greece. All rights reserved.