Inguinal hernia: preperitoneal placement of a memory-ring patch by anterior approach. Preliminary experience.

The aim of this prospective study was to set up and evaluate a technique allowing, by the mean of a memory ring, easy placement of the patch in the preperitoneal space (PPS), directly via the hernia orifice, so as to associate the advantages of the preperitoneal patch, anterior approach and minimally invasive surgery. The memory-ring patch was made by basting a PDS cord around a 14 x 7.5 cm oval shaped polypropylene mesh. The hernia sac was dissected, blunt dissection of the PPS was carried out through the hernia orifice and the patch was introduced in the PPS via the orifice. Spreading of the patch in the PPS was facilitated by the memory-ring. One hundred and twenty nine hernias, classified as Nyhus Type IIIa, IIIb and IV, were operated on 126 patients; 11 were big pantaloon or sliding hernias. The anesthesia was spinal in 116 cases and local in 10 cases. There were three benign postoperative complications (2.3%) related to the hernia repair. Ninety six percent of the patients were evaluated with a mean follow up of 24.5 months (12-42). Two recurrences (1.6%) occurred, 7 patients (5.6%) felt some degree of light pain, but not any case of disabling pain was observed. This technique offers many advantages. It is tension-free and almost sutureless. The patch is placed in the PPS through the hernia orifice without any remote opening in the abdominal wall. The patch applied directly to the deep surface of the fascia reinforces the weak inguinal area by restoring the normal anatomic disposition. The good preliminary results are encouraging and justify further randomized evaluation.