Inguinal hernia recurrence: Classification and approach

Type R1: first recurrence ‘high,’ oblique external, reducible hernia with small (<2 cm) defect in non-obese patients, after pure tissue or mesh repair. Type R2: first recurrence ‘low,’ direct, reducible hernia with small (<2 cm) defect in non-obese patients, after pure tissue or mesh repair. Type R3: all the other recurrences - including femoral recurrences; recurrent groin hernia with big defect (inguinal eventration); multirecurrent hernias; nonreducible, linked with a controlateral primitive or recurrent hernia; and situations compromised from aggravating factors (for example obesity) or anyway not easily included in R1 or R2, after pure tissue or mesh repair.