Surgical Anatomy of the Inguinal Region from a Laparoscopic Perspective

In 1969, Ravitch stated that the “operations for the cure of hernia would seem to be established and well known beyond the possible need for further discussion and demonstration.”2 Actually, before the introduction of laparoscopic surgery, the “problem hernia” seemed to be well defined. The term indicated “the protrusion of a loop or knuckle of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening,”3 that needed to be repositioned and kept in place with some type of repair. The only variable factor was the choice of herniorrhaphy. Today, laparoscopic hernia repair challenges the surgeon with a new perspective of hernia.