Assessment of Surgical Audit of Inguinal Hernia Surgery under Local Anaesthesia in Central India

The present study aimed to assess the surgical audit of inguinal hernia surgery under local anaesthesia at a district hospital set up in central India. The findings of an audit conducted to determine the viability and dependability of using local anaesthesia as a standard procedure in inguinal hernia surgery in a district hospital setting in India are presented in this article. An effort has been made through this prospective study to evaluate the viability of local anaesthesia for inguinal hernia surgery in terms of cost effectiveness, minimising recovery time, and reducing routine case load on hospitals with a goal to provide health for all, in a situation where patient load outnumbers resources both in expertise and facilities.

This prospective study was conducted at district hospital Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, India from July 2017 to March 2018 in surgical unit. Series of 120 patients with age above 20 years, presenting with uncomplicated unilateral inguinal hernia were included in study. The primary outcomes of the study were analysed on grounds of cost benefit, patient satisfaction levels, complications such as infection, haematoma, chronic pain, and recurrence.

The mean age of patients in present study was 44.23 years (20-76 years). The mean operating time was 70 minutes (40-90). The mean post operative room stay was 3.3 hours (2-6 hours). Intraoperatively 30 patients (25%) had problems such as pain, bradycardia/tachycardia, hypotension, perspiration. Recurrance was observed in 1 patient (0.83%) during the mean follow-up of 3.6 months (1-6 months). Post-operative care givers were able to spend more time with patients counselling them as their work load was reduced dramatically because most of patients were shifted to oral medications and fluids immediately after shifting to ward. More focus could be made towards emergency patient load. Anaphylaxis is known complication of local anaesthesia.