The impact of direction of great saphenous vein total stripping on saphenous nerve injury.

OBJECTIVES: To examine and compare the effects of downwards versus upwards total stripping of great saphenous vein (GSV) on saphenous nerve (SN) injury using clinical and electrophysiological studies. METHODS: Fifty patients with varicosities were equally and randomly assigned to undergo total, upwards stripping (group A) or downwards stripping (group B) of GSV during saphenectomy. SN function was measured with electroneurogram (ENG) before operation, two weeks and 12 weeks after, in order to record the incidence and type of SN injury. Clinical signs of SN injury were also recorded at the same time points. The results were statistically analysed. RESULTS: There were no statistical significant differences on the occurrence of SN injury between groups A and B at two and 12 weeks, respectively, as confirmed with ENG studies and clinical evaluation. There were no differences between the two techniques with regard to the type of SN injury. SN injury was significantly ameliorated from 34% to 6% during the first three months. CONCLUSION: SN injury was equally observed after downwards or upwards total stripping of the GSV, as confirmed by ENG and clinical evaluation, with no differences in injury type. SN injury tends to be relieved through time in most patients.

Incarcerated hernia: to reduce or not to reduce?

PURPOSE: Before the advent of general anesthesia, taxis (hernia reduction) was the treatment of choice of incarcerated hernia but, over the years, its use subsided in favor of urgent herniorrhaphy. The role of taxis for incarcerated hernias in a growing geriatric population must be reexamined. METHODS: We attempted taxis in 101 adult patients diagnosed with anterior abdominal wall incarcerated hernia. Following successful taxis, patients were hospitalized for a 24-h period of observation to obviate any complications of taxis. Upon their discharge, the patients were advised to follow with an elective hernia repair. Unsuccessful attempts at taxis were followed by emergency surgery. The gender of the patient, type of hernia, time lapse since incarceration, and signs of intestinal occlusion were recorded and mortality and morbidity rates were calculated. RESULTS: Taxis was successful in 60.3% of cases. No taxis-related complication was observed, even though the mean delay in presentation since incarceration was 12 h. Mortality and morbidity within the taxis group were null. CONCLUSION: Taxis is a feasible and safe maneuver pending an eventual surgical treatment. By offering better conditions at a later repair, the mortality and morbidity may be considerably lowered. Further studies are needed in order to elucidate various aspects of this two-stage treatment of incarcerated hernia.