Inguinal hernia repair: which suture?

Two hundred and fifty six consecutive inguinal hernia repairs in one hospital over a 15 month period have been reviewed. There was a significant association (P less than 0.00001) between the length of history and postoperative complication rate. The use of braided suture was associated with an apparent increase in sepsis and recurrence rate (P less than 0.1). Synchronous bilateral repair was not associated with an increase in complications. It is concluded that the use of braided suture material in an inguinal hernia repair may result in an unacceptable level of sepsis and recurrence. It is also concluded that attempts to reduce the interval between the onset of an inguinal hernia and operative repair will result in lower complication rates.