HERNIOGRAPHY FOLLOWING INDIRECT HERNIOPLASTY USING THE MARLEX MESH PLUG TECHNIQUE

In recent years, some surgeons have been performing indirect inguinal herniorrhaphies using a ''mesh plug'' technique without ligation or re section of the hernia sac. The authors have had an interest in herniog raphy and questioned whether herniorrhaphy without ligation or resecti on of the indirect sac might result in a false positive herniogram or an abnormal filling defect within the peritoneal cavity. These questio ns were answered by the performance of herniography in five patients w ho had indirect hernias repaired by this method. No false positive her niograms were discovered, and the inverted sacs could not be identifie d within the peritoneal cavity. Therefore, herniography would still be a useful diagnostic tool in evaluating patients who have persistent o r recurrent symptoms following operations wherein the hernia sac was l eft intact.