eP110 Assessment of outcomes following acute surgical intervention for patients admitted with Complicated Inguinal Hernia: A 10-year review
Haripriya Eadala, Ahmed Nassar, Rahul Shivaraj, George RamsayAbstract
Objectives
This study aims to evaluate the surgical outcomes of emergency intervention in patients admitted with complicated inguinal hernia at NHS Grampian hospitals.
Methods
A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or Dr. Gray's Hospital between January 2014 and May 2024 with complications related to inguinal hernia. Patient demographics, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes were collected and analysed. Outcomes included hospital stay, complications (haematoma, seroma, infection), acute and chronic pain, and hernia recurrence.
Results
A total of 238 episodes in 235 patients were recorded, with three patients presenting with bilateral hernias requiring separate admissions. The majority were male, with a mean age of 68 ± 17 years. Presenting conditions included bowel obstruction (4.6%), incarceration (52.9%), pain (28.5%), and strangulation (7.5%). The median hospital stay was 7.7 days (IQR 8.7-11.7), with a mean operative time of 84.7 ± 37 minutes. Most patients (89.9%) underwent mesh repair, while 1.4% had Bassini repair, and 8.6% had non-specified suture repair. Postoperative complications were low: haematoma occurred in 2% of patients, with only one requiring reoperation; seroma in 0.8%, managed conservatively; and wound infection in 1.6%, all involving mesh repairs. Chronic pain was reported in 1.6%. Recurrence was observed in 2% of patients. One mortality was recorded due to severe chest infection.
Conclusion
The complication rates associated with emergency surgical repair for complicated inguinal hernia were acceptable. Mesh repair appears to be safe for most patients, except in cases requiring bowel resection. Preoperative antibiotics did not significantly reduce infection rates.