J Korean Surg Soc.  2009 Nov;77(5):338-343. 10.4174/jkss.2009.77.5.338.

Inguinal Hernia Repair under Local Anesthesia in Octogenarians

• Kim HJ
• Ryu HS
• Hur YH
• Kim JC
• Kim SK
• Park CY

• KMID: 1750703
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2009.77.5.338

Abstract

PURPOSE
We are to describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients aged between 80 and 89 years who underwent inguinal hernia repair under local anesthesia.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged between 20 and 89 years who underwent tension free hernia repair under local anesthesia by a single surgeon between June 2001 and January 2009 and compared clinical characteristics and outcomes between octogenarians who were the eldest and sexagenarians whose incidence was the highest.
RESULTS
Of the 514 patients, the number of octogenarians was 52 (8.6%) and sexagenarians were 225 (35.0%). Body mass index (BMI) was 22.5 kg/m2 in octogenarians and 23.7 kg/m2 in sexagenarians (P=0.003). Underlying diseases were present in 67.3% of octogenarians and 73.5% of sexagenarians (P=0.238). The incidence of liver disease was significantly lower in the octogenarians (1.9% vs 15.7%, P=0.004). The proportion of patients who underwent local anesthesia was significantly higher among the octogenarians (94.5% vs 82.2%, P=0.014). Operative time and postoperative hospital stay had no significant difference between both groups. Postoperative complications developed in 4 (7.7%) of the octogenarians and in 18 (9.7%) of the sexagenarians. Scrotal swelling was developed most frequently and surgery-related mortality did not developed in both groups.
CONCLUSION
If local anesthesia is used appropriately, inguinal hernia repair in octogenarians is a safe procedure as like in sexagenarians and may reduce the psychiatric burden related to complications for both surgeons and elderly patients.

Keyword

Inguinal hernia repair; Octogenarians; Local anesthesia

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anesthesia, Local
Body Mass Index
Hernia, Inguinal
Herniorrhaphy
Humans
Incidence
Length of Stay
Liver Diseases
Medical Records
Operative Time
Postoperative Complications
Retrospective Studies

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