RESUMO
PURPOSE: Compared with other types of hernia, femoral hernias in adults are less common and we have had little literature about femoral hernia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of femoral hernias in adults and to analyze the characteristics of femoral hernias. METHODS: This retrospective study was based on the medical records of 60 patients who underwent herniorrhaphies for treating femoral hernia in adults from January 2001 to December 2007. We analyzed the incidence of femora hernias, the symptoms, the operative techniques, the complications, the mortality and the postoperative recurrence rates. RESULTS: The incidence of femoral hernia was 4.6% in all cases of inguinal hernias. The incidence in females was about 4 times higher than in males (P<0.001). The most common symptom was bulging. The operative technique was changed from plug technique to bilayer technique. Seroma including swelling and pain were prominent complications. We experienced one case of mortality. CONCLUSION: Femoral hernia is a rare type of inguinal hernia in adult. Femoral hernia is more frequent in females and in the aged; it is an important surgical pathology with high rate of incarceration or strangulation. In consideration of the pathology of hernia and difficulty of the peri-operative diagnosis, the Prolene Hernia System herniorrhaphy is a superior method to other methods in femoral hernia.