This Medical Video: Surgical technique A 3cm skin incision under spinal or general
anesthesia, depending on the patients’ preference, starts half way
the line between the superior anterior iliac spine towards the
midline in a 30° angle to the pubic tubercle. Scarpa’s fascia is
opened as well as the external obliq...ue aponeurosis. By using this
skin line incision the internal ring will be immediately visualized.
Although it is important to look for both direct and indirect
hernias evaluating the groin, we do not taper the cord and directly
evaluate the ring for indirect hernias. In case of an indirect
hernia the sac is reduced or resected according to the preference of
the surgeon and the preperitoneal space is entered bluntly through
the dilated internal ring. In case of a direct hernia the approach
slightly differs. One could prefer to open the transversalis fascia
through the internal ring over a few centimeters or you can open the
fascia more medially, at the site of the direct hernia. As primary
point of concern the epigastric vessels should be identified and
retracted softly upwards. Then a gauze can be introduced into the
preperitoneal space and by doing so most of the space needed
medially will be created. Then one can already palpate Cooper’s
ligament and the pubic bone. Laterally to the internal ring more
digital dissection is needed to create just the appropriate space
for the mesh. By placing the mesh it is important not to introduce
the mesh too medially. Laterally of the internal ring an adequate
overlap of the mesh is necessary, especially in indirect hernias. No
splitting of the mesh seems necessary. The patient will be asked to
strain and push on the ring to control its place and to check
adequate spreading of the mesh to cover the whole myopectineum of
Fruchaud. One single stitch of vicryl 3/0 is placed taking both the
fascia transversalis and the mesh.