The u and the sushi roll: a conceptual aid for lichtenstein hernia repair.

For surgical trainees, perfecting a systematic approach to open inguinal herniorrhaphy can be complicated by the difficulty of conceptualizing hernias in relationship to the relatively complex anatomy of the inguinal canal. Open inguinal hernia repair is a common general surgery operation and a precise understanding of the operation is essential for residents. We present a systematic approach to this operation that uses the U and sushi roll technique as a conceptual aid to understand inguinal anatomy and a method of hernia repair.