Elective repair of groin hernias in the elderly

✍ Scribed by Miss P. I. M. Allen; M. Zager; M. Goldman

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 146 KB
• Volume: 74
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800741109

✦ Synopsis

Elective repair of groin hernia is a simple and safe surgical procedure at any age, and is a well known example of the preventative value of early surgery'. Conversely, the overall risks of emergency surgery in the elderly, measured by morbidity and mortality, may increase two-or threefold'. Nevertheless, many elderly patients are still admitted to our hospital with symptomatic groin hernias. We have tried to establish the exact risk to the patients and the reasons why elective surgery is not preventing their emergency admissions.