Results of laparoscopic inguinal/femoral hernia repair

Over 750 000 inguinal hernia repairs are performed in the USA annually. Historically, many techniques for the tissue repair of groin hernias have been used, including the Bassini, McVay, Cooper and Shouldice repairs. Currently, the tension-free repair of Lichtenstein and the mesh-plug procedure dominate the majority of surgical practices. Since the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the late 1980s, advancements in minimally invasive surgery have led surgeons to investigate laparoscopic techniques for treating inguinal hernia while still providing a durable repair. Accepted indications for laparoscopic hernia repair are recurrent and bilateral inguinal hernias in a patient at low anesthetic risk. However, considerable debate over laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, not seen with other laparoscopic procedures, has diminished the enthusiasm for adopting this technique for unilateral, primary inguinal hernias.