[Prosthetic material fixation in open inguinal hernioplasty: suture vs. synthetic glue].

INTRODUCTION: The use of synthetic glues has become normal practice in several surgical fields. The objective of this study is to compare the short and medium term results of glue and conventional suture in the fixation of the prosthesis in open inguinal hernia repair with a plug and patch technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative prospective study was conducted on 198 patients with a diagnosis of a non-recurrent inguinal hernia subjected to open surgery and randomly assigned to mesh fixation with cyanoacrylate glue (n=101) or with suture (n=98). The demographic characteristics, short-term complications, hospital stay, time off work, hernia recurrence, and chronic inguinal neuralgia, were analysed.

RESULTS: The overall morbidity was 13.9% in the glue group, and 30.9% in the suture group. No undue inflammatory reactions or mesh migration were observed in the group. The post-operative stay was 14.7h for the glue group, and 19.1h in the suture group (P<.0001). No differences were found regarding days off work. The short-term morbidity was higher in the suture group (19.6% vs. 10.9%). After one year, there was one recurrence in the suture group (1%), and none in the glue group. However, the incidence of moderate/severe intensity chronic neuralgia was 2.9% in the glue group, and 10.3% in the suture group (P=.03).

CONCLUSION: The use of cyanoacrylate is safe and effective in open inguinal hernia repair, with good results in the short and medium term.