ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Increasing clinical studies have reported the application of self-fixating mesh in the tension-free repair of inguinal hernia,but whether the self-fixating mesh is superior to the common suture mesh is still in dispute.OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of self-fixating polypropylene/poly(lactic acid) mesh and polypropylene mesh on chronic pain after tension-free repair of inguinal hernia.METHODS:A total of 90 male patients with primary inguinal hernia were randomly divided into two groups:self-fixating mesh and control groups (n=45 per group).All patients underwent tension-free hernioplasty followed by self-fixating polypropylene/poly(lactic acid) mesh in the self-fixating mesh group and polypropylene mesh in the control group.Operation time and length of hospital stay were recorded;complications and recurrence rate in the two groups were observed at 6 months after operation;and postoperative pain and chronic pain were assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) at postoperative 1,10 days,1,3,6 months.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Compared with the control group,the operation time was shorter in the self-fixating mesh group (P ＜ 0.05),but there was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the two groups.(2) The VAS scores showed no significant difference between the two groups at postoperative 1 day,but the VAS scores were significantly better in the self-fixating mesh group than the control group at 10 days,postoperative 1,3,6 months (P ＜ 0.05).(3) During the 6-month follow-up,there were no urinary retention,subcutaneous hematoma,wound infection and recurrence in the two groups except five patients in the control group who complained of a foreign body sensation.To conclude,compared with the traditional polypropylene mesh,the use of self-fixating polypropylene/poly(lactic acid) mesh can shorten operation time and reduce pain and discomfort of patients with unilateral inguinal hernia undergoing tension-free hemioplasty.