Local anesthesia underutilized for inguinal hernia repair in northern Ghana.

To our knowledge, this study is the largest assessment of anesthesia use for inguinal hernia repair in an LMIC. Although the selection of anesthetic technique should be guided by a patient's general health, the anatomy of the hernia, and clinician judgment, local anesthesia appears to be underutilized in northern Ghana. Survey responses demonstrate high rates of unfamiliarity or incorrectly perceived evidence-based guidelines. Future research should assess how education on the benefits and technique of local anesthesia administration may further increase rates for inguinal hernia repair, especially for older patients.