D Moga*
Background: A long-term follow-up of inguinal hernia operated patients is mandatory in order to evaluate the efficiency of the surgical procedures. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate a personal follow-up procedure for the operated inguinal hernia patients. Material and Methods: A prospective study including the patients who underwent Lichtenstein tension-free procedure was performed. A prospective follow-up to 1, 6 and 12 months using a Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire was performed, and the results were carefully analyzed. Results: 44 consecutive patients operated from June 2011 until May 2012 was included in the study. The median age was 60 years old and men to women ratio were 43 to 44. To 1 month postoperative check-up, 88.63% of the patients were presented and at 6 months only 31.81% from the patients were presented to the postoperative check-up, and after 12 months 58.13% of the patients answered to QoL questionnaire. In term of QoL, 76% of the patients had “excellent result” and 24% “very good result” one year after the procedure. We recorded no recurrence one year after the procedure to the patients who underwent the check-up physical exam. Even the postoperative results are outstanding, the follow-up is only satisfactory from multiple reasons, equally related to doctors, patients and medical system as well. Conclusions: In our conditions the long term follow-up of the inguinal hernia operated patients is more likely a goal than a routine activity. Further studies and activities (e.g. a National Hernia Registry) will be necessary to improve the patients’ follow-up procedure.
PDFShare this article
Journal of Surgery received 288 citations as per Google Scholar report
