Study of alteration in testicular perfusion after Lichtenstein hernia repair

Background: Inguinal hernia affects both men and women but is much more common in men who comprise over 90% of the operated patients. Considering both the operated and the non-operated inguinal hernias, the lifetime prevalence rate is 47% for men upto and including the age of 75. Repair of an inguinal hernia is one of the most common operations among adults in the western world today. Aims and objectives were to compare the alteration in testicular perfusion following Lichtenstein hernia repair. Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed with inguinal hernia admitted in our hospital with study period of 12 months were included in the study. Color Doppler ultrasound evaluation of testicular blood flow was done for all cases. Comparisons of results between groups were done using independent t test and Pearson correlation test. Results: The mean age of patients in the study was 46.10±17.27 years. Twenty three percent of patients had COPD as comorbidity. Mean peak systolic volume (PSV) of testicular artery in preop, at 24 hours, 1 week and 3 months are 18.36±2.21, 20.27±3.25, 19.21±2.31 and 18.98±2.06 respectively with a p=0.001. On further observations, no significant difference was found in the PSV of Capsular and intratesticular artery and EDV and RI of testicular, capsular and intratesticular artery. Conclusions: Testicular perfusion following hernioplasty can be easily monitored and evaluated with Duplex ultrasonography; the flow in the spermatic artery and testicular artery and its branches is of low resistance, with a relatively broad systolic part and holodiastolic flow. There is no evidence for a significant impairment of cord structures after open hernia repair using tension free techniques. It is clear that fine surgical dissection