NICE is wrong not to recommend laparoscopic hernia repair

doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7345.0/h

NICE is wrong not to recommend laparoscopic hernia repair

NICE's reluctance to recommend laparoscopic repair of hernias is based mainly on economic considerations, some of which areinaccurate, according to Roger Motson, professor of surgery (p1092). Inguinal herniorrhaphy is one of the commonest operationsin Britain. It is less painful than traditional repair and allowsthe patient to return to work more quickly. The true costs oflaparoscopic repair are lower than those of open repair, particularlywhen it allows detection and simultaneous repair of an undiagnosedcontralateral hernia. Motson concludes that surgeons are under-representedon NICE's appraisalpanel.