Background: Since time immemorial, inguinal herniorrhaphy is one of the oldest and commonest operations in the surgeon’s technical armamentarium. Since the first true herniorrhaphy was performed by Bassini as early as 1887 AD, modifications and surgical techniques have shared a common disadvantage: suture line tension. To use this already defective tissue particularly under tension is counter-productive and total reinforcement with a sheet of mesh securing the areas much beyond the boundary of Hasselbach's triangle is much more effective procedure³. With the use of modern mesh prosthetics, it is now possible to repair all adult inguinal hernias without distortion of normal anatomy and with no suture line tension.

Aims and Objectives: To compare the use of skin staples versus polypropylene sutures to fix the mesh.

Settings and design: This is a prospective study carried out in SSG Hospital from July 2002 to April 2005.

Materials and methods: This study comprised of 54 patients undergoing 60 repairs randomized into stapler group and polypropylene group.

Results: The duration of surgery and length of hospital stay in the group wit mesh fixation by staples was less as compared to mesh fixed by polypropylene sutures. Also the complication rate was less as compared to the other group.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that in a set up like ours, catering to poor and rural patients, this technique of mesh fixation is as effective as conventional fixation with polypropylene sutures with an important added advantage, which was significant, and that is reducing the operative time, being less painful and providing good fixation of mesh and the most important, early return to work.

Keywords: Hernioplasty, Polypropylene mesh, Staples, Lichtenstein.