Two of the most important etiological factors in the development of primary and recurrent inguinal hernias are collagen deficiency and tension on the suture line respectively. These factors can be eliminated by the use of open "tension-free" hernioplasty, advocated by the Lichtenstein Hernia Institute since 1984. In this procedure, the entire floor of the inguinal canal is reinforced by an 8 cm x 16 cm sheet of Marlex mesh that is sutured in place to protect the floor from all future adverse mechanical and metabolic effects without the risk of displacement or folding. A new ring and shutter mechanism is also created by the procedure, which is performed under local anesthesia and requires only a few hours of in-hospital postoperative observation. Pain control following the operation involves only 2-20 tablets of 5 mg hydrocodone bitartrate, for 2-4 days. The recurrence rate of early procedures was a mere 0.1%, and has been zero for 2,500 patients treated in the past five years. In addition, there has only been one complication (a testicular atrophy) in 4,000 operations over ten years. The postoperative pain and recovery period of the "tension free" procedure compare favorably with those of laparoscopic repair, while the complication and recurrence rate and costs are significantly lower. The Lichtenstein "tension-free" method has been performed on tens of thousands of patients worldwide and these results have been duplicated and published by authors from the United States, England, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Austria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)