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Groin hernia surgery in Uganda; mosquito nets and cost effectiveness

Bakgrund The need for surgery in Uganda is large. Qualified surgeons are few, elective surgery is rare and the annual budget for health care is minimal. The burden of disease due to groin hernias accumulates. Consequently, morbidity is significant and mortality occurs. Techniques which use surgical mesh in groin hernia surgery significantly reduced the risk for recurrence and are standard in high income settings. The commercial mesh is very costly and is consequently not available to patients in low income countries. Mosquito nets have many similar properties as the commercials. They are currently used in several locations and small studies done show very promising results. However, the research is not sufficient to fully support this practice. For this reason, a large trial has been initiated in a medical collaboration between surgeons from Sweden and Uganda. Hypothesis The hypothesis is that there will be no significant difference between the two materials. Method A double blinded, randomized clinical trial. The surgeries are performed under local anaesthesia, by qualified surgeons on a day care basis. The study also involves a cost effectiveness analysis. Ethical approval has been granted from the Institutional Review Board at School of Biomedical Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda. Significance If the hypothesis is proven correct, the mesh technique can be introduced on large scale with a benefit for millions of patients with untreated groin hernias.

Project ID

SE-0-SE-29-2012-6218-285-12182

Activity status

2 - Implementation

Aid type

D02 - Other technical assistance

% to Uganda

100.00

Organisations

Funding

Sweden

Extending

The Swedish Research Council

Implementing

Umeå universitet

CRS code	%
Medical research (12182)	100.0