BACKGROUND: To compare the results of the inguinal hernia repair with the Falci-Lichtenstein (FL) tecnique that uses polypropylene mesh and the Shouldice modified by Berliner (SB) tecnique, a repair in two layers of continuous suture. METHODS: It is presented a prospective study of 312 patients operated on between 1997 and 2004 by one single surgeon. Group 1 was composed for 84 patients treated with the FL repair and group 2 for 228 patients with the SB repair. All the patients were men, over 18 years , with types 3 A, 3 B and 4 hernias according to the Nyhus classification. The groups were similar in age, operated side, hernia type, anestesia and follow up period. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 53min in group 1 and 57min in group 2 (p=0,2982); length of hospital stay was 1 day in 94% of the cases in group 1 and 92% in group 2 (p=0,8050); postoperative complication rate was 9,5% in group 1 and 12,3% in group 2 (p=0,5557) and the most frequent was hematoma/ecchymosis. The recurrence rate at 3,5 years mean follow up time was 1,2% in group 1 and 5,4% in group 2 (p=0,0935). None of these results were significant. CONCLUSION: The SB repair proved to be as good as the FL tecnique in men, over 18 years with type 3 A, 3 B and 4 inguinal hernias; besides it do not require a mesh prosthesis.
Hernia, inguinal; Anesthesia, local; Inguinal canal; Surgical procedures, operative; Comparative study
