New minimally invasive technique for repairing femoral hernias: 3-D patch device through a femoris approach.

BACKGROUND Femoral hernias are less common than inguinal hernias. The use of preformed mesh to repair femoral hernias without tension has become increasingly common. We sought to investigate the safety and feasibility of repairing femoral hernias with a Prolene 3-dimentional (3-D) patch using a femoris approach. METHODS We identified all consecutive patients with femoral hernias treated at our centre with a Prolene 3-D patch using a femoris approach in our institution over a 5-year period (2004-2009). We assessed duration of surgery, length of stay in hospital, recurrence, postoperative pain and complications. RESULTS We repaired 73 hernias with this technique during the study period. The mean duration of surgery was 13.1 minutes, most patients were discharged in less than 24 hours, no recurrence was noted, and only minor complications occurred. CONCLUSION This technique has not only the same advantage of other tension-free repairs, but also the advantages of convenience and shorter duration of surgery.