[Organization and results of the treatment of inguinal hernia by laparoscopy in ambulatory surgery. Immediate results].

Since 1993, we have performed laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair by ambulatory surgery. We report the population of patients with inguinal hernia operated in this way from the first case operated by ambulatory surgery to May 1, 1996. The aim of this prospective and non controlled trial was to present the organization of our day care department and to report the results of our experience, comparing the ambulatory and hospitalized population, identifying the reasons why we decided to operate on an inpatient basis, assessing the rate and the reasons why the patient was kept the night after an initially scheduled ambulatory procedure. Four hundred and thirty three consecutive cures were operated during this period. 53.6% of patients were operated by ambulatory surgery, 89.4% of whom returned home at night. The reasons for an inpatient procedure were: bilateral repair in 25.2% of cases, medical in 16.4%, surgical in 20%, social in 13.5% of cases. The unilateral nature of the repair and the young age of the patients were two factors which led us to chose ambulatory surgery.