Inguinal Herniorrhaphy Under Local Anesthesia

Abstract

• For various reasons, repair of inguinal hernias under local anesthesia is not well accepted. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of local anesthesia in inguinal hernia repairs. One hundred consecutive inguinal herniorrhaphies are reported. The selection of patients, surgical technique, and incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications are reported. Patient acceptance and their immediate postoperative course are also described. The study demonstrates that inguinal hernias can be easily repaired under local anesthesia, complications are minimal, and patient acceptance, excellent. We strongly recommend that this form of anesthesia be used in the "routine" repair of inguinal hernias in cooperative patients. (Arch Surg 112:1069-1071, 1977)