Is a Technically Challenging Procedure More Likely to Fail? A Prospective Single-Center Study on the Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Inguinal Hernia Repair.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this prospective single-center study was to evaluate the outcome of inguinal hernia repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 485 inguinal hernias (452 patients and 33 patients with bilateral hernias) were operated between January 2004 and December 2010. Mean age was 56 years, and 93% were male. Patient demographics and operative data were collected, and the operating surgeon assessed the technical difficulty of the operation. Five years after surgery, a questionnaire evaluated recurrence and chronic discomfort according to the Cunningham scale. 372 responded (82%), and mean follow-up was 5.5 years. RESULTS: There were 390 repairs for a primary and 62 for a recurrent hernia. Totally extraperitoneal (TEP) operation was most frequently performed (56%), transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) operation in 31%, and Lichtenstein and Shouldice in 12% and 2%, respectively. At 5-year follow-up, the primary outcome of chronic discomfort was 19.5%. The independent positive predictors were young age and operation for a recurrent hernia (OR: 3.7), with TEP operation reducing the risk of chronic discomfort (OR: 0.5). The secondary outcome was the recurrence rate of 2.5%. Risk factors were strenuous work (OR: 13.7), technically difficult repairs (OR: 7.2), and chronic discomfort (OR: 6.7). CONCLUSIONS: Every fifth patient had chronic discomfort in long-term follow-up. The recurrence rate was 2.5%, and a technically difficult procedure was a risk factor.

Evolving epidemiology of invasive Haemophilus infections in the post-vaccination era: results from a long-term population-based study.

Historically, Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) serotype b (Hib) caused most invasive Haemophilus infections worldwide, mainly in children. In 1989 routine childhood vaccination against Hib was initiated in Iceland. We conducted a population-based study of all patients in the country with Haemophilus spp. isolated from sterile sites (n = 202), from 1983 to 2008. Epidemiology, clinical characteristics of the infections and serotypes of the isolates were compared during the pre-vaccination (1983-1989) and post-vaccination era (1990-2008). Following the vaccination, the overall incidence of Hib decreased from 6.4 to 0.3/100,000 per year (p <0.05) whereas the incidence did not change significantly for infections caused by Haemophilus sensu lato not serotype b, hereafter referred to as non-type b Hi (0.9 vs 1.2, respectively). The most frequent diagnosis prior to 1990 was meningitis caused by Hib, which was subsequently replaced by pneumonia and bacteraemia caused by non-type b Hi. Most commonly, non-type b Hi were non-typeable (NTHi; 40/59), followed by Hi serotype f (14/59) and Hi serotype a (3/59). Pregnancy was associated with a markedly increased susceptibility to invasive Haemophilus infections (RR 25.7; 95% CI 8.0-95.9, p <0.0001) compared with non-pregnant women. The case fatality rate for Hib was 2.4% but 14% for non-type b Hi, highest at the extremes of age. Hib vaccination gives young children excellent protection and decreases incidence in the elderly due to herd effect in the community. Replacement with other species or serotypes has not been noted. Pregnant women are an overlooked risk group.