Bassini, Edoardo (1844-1924)

Figure 2: a series commemorating famous Italians. It depicts Eduordo Bassini.

Born 1844, in Pavia, near Milan.

1866; Graduated doctor in medicine from Milan.

Fought for Italian independence and was bayoneted in the groin. He remained in hospital for a long time with a faecal fistula.

1884; Developed the Bassini repair of inguinal herniae. He did not do the operation that is usually termed the Bassini repair ie. where the conjoined tendon is sutured to the inguinal ligament. The essence of the repair in Bassini's patients was;

• Excision of the hernial sack
• Division of the transversalis fascia (postior wall)
• Suture of the highest layer of the transversalis fascia and conjoined tendon to the inguinal ligament (triple layer)

1890; Published his results for inguinal hernia repair.