Oc-112 outcomes of emergency inguinal hernia surgeries performed by trainees at a tertiary care hospital- an audit of 43 cases

Abstract Background An audit was performed to identify the outcomes after emergency inguinal hernia surgeries performed by trainees at our hospital from April to December 2022. Methods The prospectively maintained database of a single clinical unit of the Department of General Surgery of our institute was reviewed. Outcomes such as the types of surgery, SSI, length of hospital stay (LOH), re-exploration, long-term pain, recurrence, and other parameters were reviewed. Results 43 cases were reviewed. The mean age was 58.4 years. The mean symptom duration was 3.47 days. 16 (37.2%) patients had obstruction and 11 (25.5%) patients suffered strangulation. 25 (58.1%) patients required laparotomy apart from local exploration. Hernioplasty was done in 10 (23.2%) patients. Bassini was done in 10 (23.2%), Lytle's in 10 (23.2%), and Desarda repair in 23 (53.6%) patients. The mean operating time was 116.92 mins and the average blood loss was 93.7ml. 4 (9.3%) patients developed SSI, and 1 (2.32%) patient required mesh explantation. 1 (2.32%) required re-exploration and there was 1 mortality. The mean LOH was 4.33 days (2.32%). 20.93% of patients had long-term pain and none had a recurrence. Conclusion Patients getting operated on by trainees had a comparable mean operative time, more blood loss (53.7ml vs 22.0ml), more long-term pain (20.93% vs 1.2%), slightly more wound complications (9.3% vs 6.74%), comparable LOH, and comparable recurrence and mortality rates, when juxtaposed against reported literature. Surgical training should hence focus on meticulous dissection and identification of nerves to reduce blood loss and long-term pain.