Management Of Inguinal Hernias In Adults In Mulongo: A Local Anesthesia Approach

Introduction: Inguinal hernia, passage through the transversalis fascia of a peritoneal diverticulum, is a common condition often requiring surgical intervention. It represents one of the most frequent reasons for consultation in surgery, with a worldwide incidence estimated at 4.6% of the population. Objective: Describe the epidemiological, clinical aspects and therapeutic modalities of sublocal hernia repair of inguinal hernias in adults in the territory of Mulongo. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional and prospective study was conducted during a campaign of free general surgery operations in Mulongo, Haut-Lomami, DRC, between June 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Local anesthesia with xylocaine was used. The parameters evaluated were frequency, age, sex, anatomoclinical type, type of anesthesia and postoperative evolution. Results :A total of 162 patients were included. The mean age was 41.5 years (range: 18-70). There were 90.7% men, the sex ratio was 9.8. The hernia was simple in 95.6% of cases and located on the right in 50% of cases. In 4.4% of cases the hernia was operated on urgently (strangulated and engorged and painful). Postoperative pain was the most common postoperative complication found in 54.9% of cases. Conclusion: The management of inguinal hernias in adults in Mulongo is often carried out under local anesthesia, due to the high prevalence of this pathology in the professional context of patients. Inguinal hernia thus remains a significant problem in this region, justifying adapted approaches such as local anesthesia