FEASIBILITY, SAFETY AND OUTCOME OF INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR UNDER SPINAL VERSUS GENERAL ANESTHESIA IN PRETERM AND TERM INFANTS

Comparative study of 105 infants undergoing inguinal hernia repair shows spinal anesthesia is safe and effective, with 9% failure rate correlating to higher weight. Spinal anesthesia is particularly suitable for infants under 4kg, with conversion to general anesthesia primarily due to prolonged operative time exceeding 40 minutes.