Postoperative hernia recurrence after Mesh Plug tension-free inguinal hernioplasty and reoperation

Objective To analyze hernia recurrence after Mesh Plug tension-free inguinal hernioplasty. Methods A retrospective analysis was made in 21 patients with recurrent hernia after Mesh Plug tension-free hernioplasty. All patients were male and diagnosed as indirect hernia during the first operation. Of them, 2 cases belonged to typeⅡ、5 to typeⅢand 4 to typeⅣ. Recurrent patients were readmitted, 13 of those were diagnosed to have indirect inguinal hernia and 8 to have direct inguinal hernia. The time of recurrence ranged from 5 day to 24 months. Results The Mesh Plug slid off the internal ring in 7 cases, sac extruded from the internal ring along the Mesh Plug in 2 cases, herniary contents extruded between the two Mesh Plug in 2, sac extruded below the too high-positioned Bard mesh in 3 cases, herniary contents extruded below the coiled and/or dislocated Bard mesh in 5 cases, herniary content extruded from the middle part of a self-made cone-shaped mesh in one, and the cause was not found in one. Conclusion The main causes of hernia recurrence after Mesh Plug tensin-free hernioplasty are related to a failure in applying the correct operative techniques, and reoperation is indicated.