Safety of Elective Inguinal Hernia Repair in the Geriatric Population: A Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Background: Inguinal hernia (IH) repair is generally considered safe with low morbidity and mortali-ty; however, the risk increases in geriatric patients due to the prevalence of comorbid conditions. This study aims to compare the outcomes of elective versus emergency IH repair in elderly pa-tients. Materials and Methods: Patients aged 65 years and older who underwent surgery for IH at Balıklıgöl State Hospital and Akçakale State Hospital between 01.12.2022 and 01.02.2024 were retrospec-tively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups as emergency (G-EM) and elective (G-EL) surgery. Age, gender, comorbidities, type of operation, length of hospitalization and postoperative complications were recorded. Postoperative complications were recorded as wound infection, seroma and ileus. Results: The study included 72 patients. Sixty-one (84.7%) patients were in the G-EL group and 11 (15.3%) were in the G-EM group. The G-EL group was composed entirely of males, with a mean age of 70.9 years (range: 65-86), while the G-EM group included 6 males (54.5%) and 5 females (45.5%), with a mean age of 71.2 years (range: 65-89). The length of hospitalization was significantly shorter in the G-EL group (1.39 ± 0.62 days) compared to the G-EM group (4.50 ± 2.51 days, p < 0.001). Postoperative complications were occurred in 5 (45.6%) patients in the G-EM group and in 7 (11.5%) patients in the G-EL group, a significant difference was found (p=0.015). No mortality was observed in both groups. Conclusions: Although IH repair in the geriatric population is a concern due to comorbidities, we recommend elective mesh hernia repair for patients diagnosed with inguinal hernia to avoid the high complication rate after emergency repair as seen in our study and in the literature.

Keywords

• Geriatrics
• Inguinal Hernia
• Complications

Geriatrik Popülasyonda Elektif İnguinal Herni Onarımının Güvenliği: Retrospektif Analiz

Abstract

Amaç: Kasık fıtığı (İH) onarımı genellikle düşük morbidite ve mortalite ile güvenli kabul edilir; an-cak, komorbid durumların yaygınlığı nedeniyle geriatrik hastalarda risk artar. Bu çalışmanın amacı yaşlı hastalarda elektif ve acil İH onarımının sonuçlarını karşılaştırmaktır. Materyal ve Metod: 01.12.2022 ile 01.02.2024 tarihleri arasında Balıklıgöl Devlet Hastanesi ve Akçakale Devlet Hastanesi'nde İH nedeniyle ameliyat edilen 65 yaş ve üzeri hastalar retrospektif olarak incelendi. Hastalar acil (G-EM) ve elektif (G-EL) cerrahi olmak üzere iki gruba ayrıldı. Yaş, cinsiyet, eşlik eden hastalıklar, ameliyat türü, hastanede yatış süresi ve ameliyat sonrası komplikasy-onlar kaydedildi. Ameliyat sonrası komplikasyonlar yara enfeksiyonu, seroma ve ileus olarak kaydedildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya 72 hasta dahil edilmiştir. Altmış bir (%84,7) hasta G-EL grubunda ve 11 (%15,3) hasta G-EM grubundaydı. G-EL grubu ortalama 70,9 yaş (dağılım: 65-86) ile tamamen erkeklerden oluşurken, G-EM grubu ortalama 71,2 yaş (dağılım: 65-89) ile 6 erkek (%54,5) ve 5 kadın (%45,5) içermekteydi. Hastanede yatış süresi G-EL grubunda (1.39 ± 0.62 gün) G-EM grubuna (4.50 ± 2.51 gün, p < 0.001) kıyasla anlamlı olarak daha kısaydı. Ameliyat sonrası komplikasyonlar G-EM grubunda 5 (%45,6) hastada görülürken, G-EL grubunda 7 (%11,5) hastada görülmüştür ve anlamlı bir fark bulunmuştur (p=0,015). Her iki grupta da mortalite gözlenmedi. Sonuç: Geriatrik popülasyonda İH onarımı komorbiditeler nedeniyle endişe verici olsa da, çalışmamızda ve literatürde görüldüğü gibi acil onarım sonrası yüksek komplikasyon oranından kaçınmak için inguinal herni tanısı alan hastalara elektif mesh herni onarımını öneriyoruz.

Keywords

• Geriatri
• İnguinal Herni
• Komplikasyon

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