Suture repair versus mesh repair in elderly populations with incarcerated or strangulated groin hernia

AbstractTension-free hernia repair is the gold standard for groin hernia repair. However, the optimal surgical treatment for incarcerated or strangulated groin hernia in elderly populations is controversial. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy of mesh repair and suture repair in the treatment of incarcerated or strangulated groin hernia in elderly patients. Patients  ≥ 65 years who underwent urgent surgical repair for incarcerated or strangulated groin hernia from January 2012 to June 2022 were included. Patients’ demographic data and postoperative outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with limited life expectancy were screened from the elde rly population for subgroup analysis. A total of 103 patients (median age: 84 years old, range 65–96; mean follow-up time: 36.8 ± 24.8 months) were included, involving 42 cases in the suture repair group and 61 cases in the mesh repair group. Suture repair and mesh repair had similar length s of ICU and hospital stay, and rates of small bowel resection, chronic pain, surgical site infection, and surgical-related death. However, suture repair had a significantly higher recurrence rate than mesh repair (7% vs. 2%,P = 0.04). In our subgroup analysis, for patients with limited life expectancy (41 patients; median age: 88 years old, range: 80–96), suture repair had no statistical difference in postoperative outcomes compared with mesh repair. Mesh repair is suitable for elderly patient...
Source: Updates in Surgery - Category: Surgery Source Type: research