Abdul Jabbar Mirani, Syed Muhammad Maroof Hashmi, Sadaf Nazir, Arif Raza, Muhammad Absar Anwar, Saqib Basar.
Surgical interventions in inguinal hernia in a tertiary care hospital: their characteristics and factors impacting the outcomes in the geriatric population.
Pak J Surg Jan ;31(2):107-10.

Objective: Th e objective of the study is to analyze the surgical intervention undertaken in hernia repair in the geriatric population and their outcomes, from a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Design: Descriptive retrospective study. Sett ing and duration: Department of surgery at Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan from February 2011 to February 2013. Methodology: Total 200 patients of 60 years of age and above who underwent an operation for repair of inguinal hernia either as an elective procedure or an emergency surgical intervention were included in the study. Data was collected through a proforma mentioning various infl uencing factors on the morbidity and the overall success rate of the surgical intervention in the geriatric patients. Data was analyzed using SPSS 19 soft ware. Results: Th e average (mean) age of the patients in this case series was 67.25 ± 7 years, and among them 190 (95%) were males and 10 (5% were females. Bilateral, unilateral and recurrent hernias were as 178 (89%), 12 (6%), 8 (4%). Th e hernia presentation was uncomplicated in 140 (69.1%) and 59 (29.9%) had complications such as obstruction or strangulation of the hernia. Th e patients were operated as an elective procedure in 142 (71%) and 58 (29%) as an emergency hernia repair. Existing medical conditions were reported in 71 ( 35.6 % ) of patient population. Th e number of deaths was 11 (5.5 %) and the cases were those who had pre existing medical conditions and were operated as an elective procedure. Conclusion: In the geriatric population elective hernia repair is the recommended procedure, the rate of morbidity and mortality is high in emergency hernia repair, but due to the existing complications and declining health in the elderly population surgical intervention in hernia repair is still a challenge.

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