What is the current practice of inguinal hernia repair at University of Cape Town affiliated hospitals?

Background: Various inguinal hernia repair techniques exist, without one ‘single best’ option. Hernia society guidelines recommend laparoscopic repair as one of its mainstays, provided surgeons are adequately trained. The current practice for hernia repair in South Africa as well as the surgical resident exposure to laparoscopic repair training is unknown. Aim: To quantify the current practice of inguinal hernia surgery in hospitals affiliated to the University of Cape Town (UCT) and to assess trainee exposure to laparoscopic repair. Methods: All adult patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair during the 12-month study period, at the four UCT affiliated hospitals (Groote Schuur, Mitchell’s Plain, Victoria and New Somerset) were included. Collected data parameters included age, gender, primary or recurrent hernia, uni- or bilaterality, primary surgeon consultant or non-consultant, operative time, and open or laparoscopic technique used. Results: 380 patients were included. Eighty-eight (23.2%) repairs were performed laparoscopically, of which 5 (5.7%) were converted to open. Non-consultants were present at 70/88 (79.5%) cases performed laparoscopically and were primary surgeon at 15 (17%). Laparoscopic repair was performed for 63.6% of bilateral versus 19.3% of unilateral hernias, 39.3% of recurrent hernias and 45% of hernias in females. Conclusion: Inguinal hernias in our setting are predominantly repaired by open surgery. The likelihood of laparoscopic repair varies significantly depending on which hospital the patient is referred to. Non-consultants have limited exposure to performing laparoscopic hernia repairs as the primary surgeon