1. Tension-Free Inguinal Hernia Repair: The Design of a Trial to Compare Open and Laparoscopic Surgical Techniques
- Author
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Martin J. London, James Gibbs, Leigh Neumayer, Dorothy D. Dunlop, Stephanie Hatton-Ward, Olga Jonasson, Kamal M.F. Itani, Lawrence T. Kim, Theodore N. Pappas, Anita Giobbie-Hurder, Denise M. Hynes, Domenic J. Reda, Martin McCarthy, Robert J. Fitzgibbons, C. James Carrico, and William G. Henderson
- Subjects
Male ,Laparoscopic surgery ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Time Factors ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Hernia, Inguinal ,law.invention ,Postoperative Complications ,Randomized controlled trial ,Recurrence ,law ,Multicenter trial ,medicine ,Humans ,Hernia ,Laparoscopy ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,business.industry ,Health Services ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Hernia repair ,Health Surveys ,United States ,Surgery ,Clinical trial ,Inguinal hernia ,Treatment Outcome ,Research Design ,Costs and Cost Analysis ,business ,Follow-Up Studies - Abstract
Background Inguinal hernia is a common condition in men and represents a large component of health-care expenditures. Approximately 700,000 herniorrhaphies are performed each year in the United States. The most effective method of repair of an inguinal hernia is not known. Study design A multicenter, randomized, clinical trial was designed to compare open tension-free inguinal hernia repair with laparoscopic tension-free repair on recurrence rates, complications, patient-centered outcomes, and cost. The study design called for randomization of 2,200 men over a period of 3 years. These men will be followed for a minimum of 2 years. This will allow determination of as little as a 3% absolute difference in recurrence rates with 80% power. Randomization is stratified by hospital, whether the hernia is unilateral or bilateral and whether the hernia is primary or recurrent. Results This is a report of the study design and current status. The study involves 14 Veterans Affairs medical centers with previous experience in laparoscopic hernia repair. After 35 months of enrollment, 2,165 men were randomized and recruitment was then closed. The majority of the patients (82.3%) had unilateral hernias and 90.6% of the hernias were primary. Sixty-seven percent of the patients had an outpatient operation. Conclusions We report successful recruitment into a large multicenter trial comparing open and laparoscopic hernia repair. When followup is complete, this study will provide data regarding both clinical (recurrence rates) and patient-centered outcomes.
- Published
- 2003
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