Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Mortality
Systematic review	1564 people 6 RCTs in this analysis	Mortality with open mesh repair with open suture repair	OR 1.35 95% CI 0.65 to 2.80		Not significant
Haematoma
Systematic review	3072 people 13 RCTs in this analysis	Haematoma with open mesh repair with open suture repair	OR 0.93 95% CI 0.68 to 1.26		Not significant
RCT	100 men; 5 bilateral hernias	Haematoma 13% with open mesh repair 14% with open suture repair	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
Seroma
Systematic review	3045 people 11 RCTs in this analysis	Seroma with open mesh repair with open suture repair	OR 1.52 95% CI 0.92 to 2.52		Not significant
RCT	100 men; 5 bilateral hernias	Seroma 2% with open mesh repair 4% with open suture repair	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
Infection
Systematic review	3516 people 16 RCTs in this analysis	Infection with open mesh repair with open suture repair	OR 1.24 95% CI 0.84 to1.84		Not significant
RCT	100 men; 5 bilateral hernias	Infection 4% with open mesh repair 2% with open suture repair	Reported as not significant P value not reported		Not significant
Complications
Systematic review	3508 people 14 RCTs in this analysis	Life-threatening surgical complications with open mesh repair with open suture repair	OR 1.00 95% CI 0.20 to 4.95		Not significant
RCT	106 people; 100 primary hernias, 6 recurrent hernias	Overall complication rates 7% with open mesh repair 13% with open suture repair	RR 0.57 95% CI 0.17 to 1.77 P = 0.4		Not significant
Numbness
Systematic review	602 people 3 RCTs in this analysis	Persisting numbness after 3 months with open mesh repair with open suture repair	OR 0.70 95% CI 0.29 to 1.72		Not significant
RCT 3-armed trial	280 men with primary inguinal hernias	Rates of nerve injury leading to numbness 14.5% with open mesh repair 12.2% with open suture repair	Significance not assessed
Postoperative pain
RCT	106 people; 100 primary hernias, 6 recurrent hernias	Analgesic requirement (paracetamol dose) first postoperative week 3.9 grams with open mesh repair 5.0 grams with open suture repair	P <0.03	Effect size not calculated	open mesh repair
RCT	106 people; 100 primary hernias, 6 recurrent hernias	Postoperative pain scores (measured using visual analogue scale [0 = no pain; 100 = unbearable pain]) at 14 days 1 with open mesh repair 2 with open suture repair	P <0.01	Effect size not calculated	open mesh repair
RCT	196 men; 216 primary inguinal hernias	Pain score evening of the operative day 6 with open mesh repair 6.08 with open suture repair	P >0.05		Not significant