[Follow-up study results of Bassini-Kirschner inguinal hernia operations].

During a 7-year period 686 adult male patients underwent Bassini-Kirschner operations for inguinal hernia. All patients received prophylactic physical therapy preoperatively, they were given elastic stockings and low-dose heparin therapy and all were ambulated on the first postoperative day. We used Mersilene for all sutures in 179 patients, Mersilene for the Bassini sutures and Dexon for the Kirschner sutures in 215 patients, sole Dexon sutures in 292 patients. Early and late complications occurred most frequently with nonresorbable (Mersilene) materials, less frequently with Dexon. We encountered recurrent inguinal hernias in 23 patients (4,7%). Review of relevant references indicates a recurrence rate of 2,6 to 14,8% with other methods.