Immediate return to unrestricted work after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Personal experiences with 27,267 cases, local anesthesia, and mesh.

Complete safety of the patient and unblemished success without recurrence or complication may be assured after inguinal herniorrhaphy as an out-patient if uncompromising intimate attention is paid to the surgical technique in which local anesthesia, polyvinyl ester mesh, and rectus abdominis tendon transfer are used instead of coaptive techniques, and if the post-operative regimen of immediate post-operative ambulation and unrestricted activity is employed. Return to work requiring heavy lifting the same day reduces tension on the mesh, increases the strength of the incision, prevents complications and minimizes pain. The surgical procedure and the virtues of the regimen, which has been eminently successful in 27,267 personal cases, with mesh employed in 18,214 patients, are described.