Twenty questions about hernioplasty.

The twenty most asked and answered questions about advances in hernia surgery are enumerated. These inquiries have been collected over 20 consecutive years of exhibiting at a scientific booth at the American College of Surgeons conventions. The questions generally are concerned with synthetic patches, the use of local anesthesia, and, more recently, the "tension free" hernia repairs. The treatment of hernial sacs, the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of postoperative pain, the Shouldice Clinic repair, the importance of Cooper's ligament, and the cause, prevention, and treatment of recurrences are also examined.