Comparison of local and spinal anesthesia techniques in inguinal hernia repair

The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of local anesthesia in surgical treatment of inguinal hernia, compared with spinal anesthesia. Ninety-six patients who underwent hernia repair between December 1999 and April 2002 were included prospectively. The patients were assigned randomly to two groups according to their admission numbers. Group I included 47 patients undergoing surgical treatment of inguinal hernia with local anesthesia; Group II included 49 patients having inguinal hernia repair with spinal anesthesia. The early complication rates, length of the hospital stay, and costs were evaluated prospectively. Early complication rates were 14.8 and 32.6%, respectively; there was no significant difference between the two groups. The length of hospital stay and cost were significantly lower in Group I than in Group II. In conclusion, local anesthesia is a safe and cost-effective method in the treatment of inguinal hernia. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved