American journal of surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Shouldice is superior to Bassini inguinal herniorrhaphy.
The original Bassini and Shouldice methods for inguinal herniorrhaphy were tested against each other and against their respective variants that avoid permanent suturing of the internal oblique muscle. Seven hundred fifty inguinal hernia repairs were prospectively allocated to 1 of 4 groups: group A: Bassini with absorbable sutures (polyglycolic acid); group B: Bassini with nonabsorbable sutures (polyester); group C: Shouldice with four rows of polypropylene sutures; and group D: Shouldice with two rows of polypropylene sutures. Outcome was correlated to prospectively defined types and risk factors such as direct hernia, repair for recurrent hernia, hernial sac diameter greater than 8 cm, age greater than 70 years, overweight, and chronic bronchitis. ⋯ Repair of recurrent hernia was the only patient-related risk factor of equal significance as the method of repair. The Shouldice technique is superior to and more than merely a reinvention of Bassini's original method. The omission of muscle sutures is physiologically sound and recommended for the Shouldice operation.