Commercial mesh versus Nylon mosquito net for hernia repair. A randomized double-blind study in Burkina Faso.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate whether locally available Nylon mosquito net might be a useful alternative to expensive commercial mesh implants for hernia repair, a clinical randomized double-blind study was performed.

Materials And Methods: Over a period of 3 months 35 patients with a total of 40 inguinal hernias were randomized for hernia repair with either a commercial graft (Ultrapro) or a piece of sterilized 100% Nylon mesh available as mosquito net in most African village markets. The surgeons' comfort in handling the meshes, the incidence of complications, and the patients' quality of life before and 30 days after hernia repair were evaluated.