A Randomized Trial of Low-Cost Mesh in Groin Hernia Repair

This trial in Uganda compared commercial mesh with a low-cost mesh (sterilized mosquito mesh) for groin hernia repair. There were no significant differences between groups in the rate of hernia recurrence after 1 year or in the frequency of postoperative complications. Repair of a groin hernia is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures worldwide, with approximately 20 million operations performed annually. 1 – 3 Groin hernia causes considerable illness and even death if left untreated, and its repair has been identified as a key intervention to reduce the burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. 1 , 4 – 9 Surgery in general and groin hernia repair in particular have also been shown to be highly cost-effective, even in comparison with other prioritized health care interventions such as child vaccination and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection in such settings. 10 , 11 Resource constraints, . . .