Surgical repair of an inguinal hernia is a frequently performed operation. Ideally, a hernia should be permanently cured by one operation and its repair attended by minimum morbidity. But there is much to go wrong after a hernia repair; the atrophied testicle, the recurrent hernia, and other problems are seen all too often. This study evaluates our experience with the repair of inguinal and femoral hernias, tabulates the complications encountered in groin surgery, and considers the causes of recurrent hernias. Clinical Material The records of all patients undergoing inguinal or femoral hernioplasty at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital between Jan 1, 1950, and Dec 31, 1959, were reviewed. During this period 1,162 patients underwent 1,286 operations in which 1,416 different hernias were repaired by the permanent and resident staff of this hospital. Approximately 40% of the patients had adequate long-term follow-up data in their records which, in this institution, include the