[Laparoscopic hernia surgery].

While classical inguinal hernia repair has recently been brought up for discussions among surgeons, at present various modified techniques are being reintroduced in general surgery. Surgical hernia repair techniques which partly are known since several decades are being carried out laparoscopically since 1989. Between August 1992 and June 1993, the authors performed 52 laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs using the preperitoneal placement of nonresorbable mesh. There were no intraoperative complications. Merely one patient had an abdominal wall hematoma at the site of a trocar which resolved spontaneously. All patients have been followed up for 3-13 months. To date, all postoperative check ups revealed no recurrences, testicular atrophy or paresthesia. Even though little can yet be said regarding long-term results especially about recurrences, laparoscopic preperitoneal hernia repair seems to be a promising surgical procedure concerning early postoperative results.