Effects of inguinal hernia repair under general or locaregional anesthesia on sleep and quality of life

This study has been conducted to investigate the effects of general or regional inguinal hernia correction on sleep and quality of life.The sampling of the study is comprised of 64 patients who were operated on Afyon Kocatepe University General Surgery Service between January 2008 and October 2008. 32 of the patients had general anesthesia and the other 32 had regional anesthesia.The data in the study has been collected using socio-demographic form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality (PUKI), Berlin Sleep Questionnaire and SF-36 life Quality Index. The questions in the questionnaire were asked the patients before the operation, one month after the operation and 3 months after the operation in a face-to-face style.To analyze and evaluate the data T-test and chi-square tests on SPSS.15 for Windows software has been used.In the study we have found that according to PUKI, 19 out of 32 of the patients who had general anesthesia and 12 out of 32 of the patients who had regional anesthesia had low quality sleep. We have found that there are differences in terms of sleep quality between patients who had general anesthesia and patients who had regional anesthesia (p<0,05). The sleep quality of patients who had general anesthesia didn?t change during the first and third month after the operation compared to pre-operative period. However, the sleep quality of patients who had regional anesthesia showed a significant increase during the first and third month after the operation compared to pre-operative period.In the study according to Berlin Sleep Questionnaire there were no statistical differences between patients who had general anesthesia and patients who had regional anesthesia.In the study according to SF-36 life Quality Index, on pre-operative period we have found that there are differences between patients who had general anesthesia and patients who had regional anesthesia in terms of physical function, pain, energy and mental health scores. During the first month after the operation we haven?t found statistical meaningfulness on any parameters (p>0,05).During the third month after the operation we have found that there are statistically meaningful changes between patients who had general anesthesia and patients who had regional anesthesia in terms of energy, role restriction due to emotional problems and mental health scores (p<0,05). We have found a meaningful increase in physical function, role restriction due to emotional problems, pain, social function and mental health scores on patients who had general anesthesia. During the third month after the operation it was observed that the increase in physical function, pain, energy, social function and mental health scores was continuing. On patients who had regional anesthesia we have found a meaningful increase in physical function, role restriction due to physical problems, energy, social function, role restriction due to emotional problems and mental health scores compared to pre-operative period. During the third month after the operation it was observed that the increase in physical function, pain, social function, role restriction due to physical problems, role restriction due to emotional problems and mental health scores was continuing.Consequently, according to PUKI sleep quality on patients who had regional anesthesia has shown a statistically meaningful increase, SF-36 Life Quality Index both group of patients have shown a statistically meaningful increase in their scoresKey words: Sleep quality, quality of life, general anesthesia, regional anesthesia