A prospective audit of Lichtenstein's tension-free herniorrhaphy in Taranaki, New Zealand.

Background: This study was undertaken to assess the outcome of Lichtenstein's tension-free mesh inguinal herniorrhaphy as practised by surgeons in a provincial centre in Taranaki, New Zealand.

Methods: A prospective audit was carried out on all patients who underwent this procedure in Taranaki. They were followed up at 1 month and again at 1 year. Results were entered on a standardized pro forma.

Results: One hundred and twenty-four patients underwent 134 repairs by four different surgeons and their registrars. Eighty-two per cent of them had a general anaesthetic, and 13% had local anaesthestic. Twenty-five per cent of the repairs were performed as day surgery and a further 53% required overnight stays. Complication rates were 6% in hospital, 12.7% at I month and 8% at 1 year. Recurrence occurred in one repair (0.9%) and there were no cases of mesh rejection. The wound infection rate was 3% and all were minor. Only 45% of the patients who had an inguinal hemiorrhaphy were employed and they took an average of 16 days (range 2-30) to return to work. Over half felt that that they could have returned to normal activities within 2 weeks.

Conclusions: The Lichtenstein technique of inguinal herniorrhaphy is a technically simple, reliable procedure with minimal morbidity and patients may expect a reasonably prompt return to work and to normal activities.