BMJ 1994;309:880 (1 October)

Letters

Returning to work after herniorrhaphy

EDITOR, - We disagree with several points made in the editorial on "returning to work after herniorrhaphy."1 The authors state that "troublesome wound soreness is rare seven to 10 days after operation," but we have shown that 15% of patients experience some groin discomfort up to six months after surgery.2 This may be related to the repair technique used: the authors of the editorial use a mesh to reinforce the posterior wall of the inguinal canal, whereas most British surgeons use either a darn or a Shouldice-type repair,2,3 both of which are probably more painful. Therefore, the advice given by the authors is inappropriate for most patients undergoing herniorrhaphy in Britain.

We also disagree that it is counterproductive to warn against strenuous activity too soon after surgery. Such activity may cause severe pain, making the patient wary of attempting more vigorous efforts later and thereby causing a delay in eventual . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Returning to work after herniorrhaphy
A G Shulman, P K Amid, and I L Lichtenstein
BMJ 1994 309: 216-217. [Extract] [Full Text]

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