Background: Controversy exists over the relative advantages of open mesh repair compared with open stitching methods and the laparoscopic approach.

Study Design: Two thousand nine hundred six (2,906) consecutive unselected adult patients underwent 3,175 primary inguinal hernia repairs using polypropylene mesh, under local anesthesia on an ambulatory basis. The age range was 15–92 years. The study specifically investigated the postoperative course with regard to pain, complications, and time of return to work.

Results: There were no postoperative deaths and no cases of urinary retention. Two percent of patients developed a hematoma. The incidence of deep infection was 0.3%. No case of testicular atrophy occurred. Postoperatively 19% of patients used no analgesia at all; 60% used oral analgesics for up to 7 days. There was a gradual decrease in time of return to work over four successive 1-year periods. Manual workers returned to work in 15 days (median) in the first year, reducing to 9 days in the fourth year. The overall median time of return to work across the whole group was 9 days. There were eight recurrences with an 18-month to 5-year followup.

Conclusions: Open mesh repair under local anesthesia is an effective day case technique, particularly in the elderly and medically unfit. The economic benefits are enhanced by low morbidity, early return to normal activities and low recurrence rates.