Comparison of inguinal herniorrhaphy under local and spinal anaesthesia

This was a randomized clinical trial of hernia repair in spinal vs local anesthesia carried in general surgery department bahawal victoria hospital bahawalpur from march 2008 to september 2009. patients of inguinal hernia were selected from surgical out patient department according to inclusion criteria. they were randomly assigned group a (to be operated under spinal anesthesia) and group b (to be operated under local anesthesia). in this study 100 patient were included. most of the patients were of old aged in our study (above 48 years). most of them were having right-sided direct inguinal hernias. scrotal hematoma occurred (10 %) in group a and (18 %) in group b. wound infection incidence in group a was (2%) and in group b was (5 %). wound hematoma occurred (1 %) in group a and (4%) in-group b no case of transient femoral nerve palsy was encountered in-group b. spinal headache (4%),backache (10%) and urinary retention (16 %) were only recorded in-group a. one recurrence was seen in-group b. complications were less in-group b,so we recommend local anesthesia for open primary inguinal hernia repairs in both direct and indirect variety in young as well as in old aged patients.