Laparoscopic femoral herniorrhaphy using a preperitoneal plug and patch appears to be a feasible laparoscopic approach to femoral hernia. A modified preperitoneal femoral hernia repair with mesh and resection of incarcerated small bowel has been successfully completed under laparoscopic guidance in a 64-year-old patient with incarcerated femoral hernia. To our knowledge, this is the first such case reported in the United States. With further experience, laparoscopic femoral herniorrhaphy could provide a viable alter-native to the standard treatment of femoral hernia.

In einer prospektiv-randomisierten klinischen Studie zur Leistenhernienreparation wurde die konventionelle Shouldice Operation mit den spannungsfreien Verfahren durch Netzimplantation in endoskopischer (transabdominelle praeperitoneale Netzplastik, TAPP) und offener Technik (Plug und Patch Reparation; PP) verglichen. Bezogen auf das Hauptzielkriterium postoperative Schmerzen ergaben beide spannungsfreie Verfahren (TAPP, PP) signifikant guenstigere Ergebnisse als die Shouldice Operation. Bei vergleichbarer Komplikationsrate war die Dauer postoperativer Einschraenkungen bei den spannungsfreien Verfahren ebenfalls signifikant kuerzer als nach Shouldice Operation. Zur Verbesserung der fuer die spannungsfreie Reparation erforderlichen Netzimplantate wurde in einer Tierstudie versucht, die bislang durch Resorption ungenuegende mechanische Stabilitaet eines resorbierbaren Polyglycolsaeure-Netzes durch Zugabe von Fibrinkleber bzw. humanen thrombozytaeren Wachstumsfaktoren zu verbessern. Hierdurch gelang ein signifikanter Anstieg der mechanischen Stabilitaet, so daß in dem verwendeten Tiermodell keine Herniationen auftraten. / In a prospective-randomized study conventional Shouldice operation was compared with tension-free procedures using mesh implantation in endoscopic (transabdominal preperitoneal mesh repair, TAPP) and open technique (Plug and patch repair; PP) for inguinal hernia repair. Regarding the mean end point postoperative pain both tension-free procedures (TAPP, PP) revealed significantly better results than Shouldice operation. Complications were comparable between the groups but duration of postoperative restrictions was significantly shorter after both tension-free procedures. To improve mesh quality for tension-free hernia repair an animal experiment was performed using a resorbable polyglycolic acid mesh. Despite good incorporation this mesh shows insufficient tensile strength due to absorption. Application of fibrin glue or platelet releasates significantly improve the mechanical stability of the repair protecting against herniation in this animal model.