Long-term follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of Lichtenstein's operation versus mesh plug for inguinal hernia repair based on the following published study "Randomized clinical trial of Lichtenstein's operation versus mesh plug for inguinal hernia repair. Br J Surg. 2007 Jan;94(1):36-41."

Primary endpoints is recurrence.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 40 years and older, patients who became 40 in the year of the operation were included (6 patients younger than 40 years were included because of explicit patient's wish).
• provision of written informed consent,
• symptomatic unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia.

Exclusion Criteria:

• presence of a femoral hernia,
• history of hernia repair with mesh,
• type I diabetes,
• presence of local or diffuse infection (urine, skin, lung, sepsis),
• immune deficiency,
• severe medical problems contraindicating safe induction of general anaesthesia or elective surgery,
• pregnancy,
• malignant tumours and
• life expectancy of less than 2 years