Inguinal Mesh Hernioplasties: A Rural Private Clinic Experience in South Eastern Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to review hernioplasties done for inguinal hernias in a rural private hospital, bringing out the socio-demographic and clinical pattern and to sensitize surgeons and family physicians in our environment about the possibility of making hernioplasty a standard of care for inguinal hernias. METHOD: The records of seventy seven patients operated in a rural private hospital were reviewed. Socio-demographic data, operative techniques and post-operative outcomes were documented. The results were compared with relevant findings in the literature. RESULTS: Eighty one Lichtenstein procedures were done, of which four were bilateral. Polypropylene mesh was used in all cases. A total of three patients (3.9%) had early post-operative complications. The complications were scrotal haematoma, haematoma complicated by wound sepsis and wound sepsis only. All the complications were successfully managed. There was no case of mesh removal or mortality. CONCLUSION: Early post-operative results suggest that mesh hernioplasty is possible in rural communities of West Africa, given the availability of mesh, basic medical infrastructure and relevant skilled manpower.