Surgeons remain divided on the utility of laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia repair. Nearly half of responding surgeons never perform LIHR, and the other half offer it selectively. One quarter of surgeons who do not perform LIHR are interested in learning. This reveals a knowledge gap that could be addressed with educational programs.
An open approach is favored for all clinical scenarios, even for situations where published guidelines recommend a laparoscopic approach. Surgeons remain divided on the best technique for inguinal hernia repair: while more than half never perform LIHR, the small proportion who perform many use the technique for a large proportion of their cases. There appears to be a gap between the best practices put forth in guidelines and what surgeons are doing in actual practice. Identification of barriers to the broader uptake of LIHR may help inform the design of educational programs to train those who have the desire to offer this technique for certain cases, and have the volume to overcome the learning curve.
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