Arterial injuries during inguinal herniorrhaphy.

In all common forms of inguinal herniorrhaphy, stitches pass either just superficial to the internal iliac artery and vein or through their sheath. Despite the potential for arterial injury, documented cases seem to exist only in the foreign-language literature. We report four cases of arterial injury following inguinal herniorrhaphy in adults. The artery is placed in jeopardy when the transversalis fascia is incorporated in the stitches used to close the medial aspect of the internal inguinal ring. The depth of penetration of the needle and the proximity of the external iliac artery must be accurately judged. Injury can result from direct puncture of the artery or avulsion of one of its branches. Immediate repair of any arterial injury is paramount, and newly subnormal pulses below the inguinal injury are unacceptable. Exposure must be adequate, and division of the floor of the inguinal canal may be necessary for this purpose. Repair may require a simple hemostatic suture, a patch graft, or an interposition graft.