Comparison of Kugel and Lichtenstein operations for inguinal hernia repair: results of a prospective randomized study.

Introduction: The aim of this prospective randomized clinical study was to compare the Lichtenstein hernia repair with Kugel's patch hernia repair.

Methods: From September 1999 to August 2002, adult patients with inguinal hernia were randomized into two groups. Group I included patients with the Lichtenstein hernioplasty, and group II included patients with the Kugel hernioplasty. The duration of the operation, surgical findings, and postoperative complications were recorded for the patients in both groups.

Results: A total of 139 patients (134 men, 5 women) were randomized to either group I or group II. No significant differences were observed for the duration of the operation or the complication rates between the groups during the same follow-up time (53.06 +/- 5.6 months vs. 53.41 +/- 7.11 months in groups I and II, respectively).

Conclusions: Kugel herniorraphy is a minimally invasive method and as safe as the Lichtenstein hernia repair technique, with similar complication rates.