Surgical interventions performed for the treatment of inguinal hernias are the most common ones. Over the years there have been a great number of surgical techniques applied and the appearance of prosthetic materials has revolutionized the surgical treatment of hernia. This study aims to present the types of surgical techniques used in our clinic by emphasizing the fact that tension–free techniques using prosthetic biomaterials are more and more frequent to the detriment of old tissue repairing techniques. Between 2002 and 2011 there were 2364 herniorraphies performed at the 2nd Surgical Clinic of Targu Mures. We have studied the different variants of operated hernias and the used surgical techniques. Between 2002 and 2006 out of the total number of 1136 operated patients, we used classical surgical techniques in 750 cases, in most cases modified Bassini, Postempsky and Sachs methods, and we performed abdominoplasty with prosthesis in 386 (34%) cases. Between 2007 and 2011, we used variants of the “open tension free” technique in 924 patients (75%) and in 3 patients the mesh was introduced by using the laparoscopy, TAPP (transabdominal preperitoneal) technique. Strengthening the posterior wall of the inguinal canal with prosthesis is more and more frequently used in the surgical treatment of inguinal hernias, thus decreasing the rate of complications occurring due to tension in the tissues and reducing the rate of relapse and period of convalescence with a significant decrease of the intensity of postoperative pains. The application of prosthesis by laparoscopy presents both the advantages of mesh plasty and of a minimally invasive technique.
Keywords: hernia, surgical techniques, tension–free