ObjectiveTo investigate the application of tension-free herniarepair under local anesthesia in senile inguinal hernia. MethodsClinical data of 163 cases of senile inguinal hernias with herniorrhaphy under local anesthesia in our department from October 2011 to October 2014 were analyzed retrospectively, including epidural anesthesia 90 patients and local anesthesia 73 patients. ResultsAll patients were successfully completed surgery. Hospital charges in local anesthesia were much cheaper than that in epidural anesthesia group (P=0.002). Hospital days in local anesthesia were much shorter than that in epidural anesthesia group (P=0.035). Lung complication in local anesthesia were much less than that in epidural anesthesia group (P=0.015). Other indicators were no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionTension-free herniorrhaphy under local anesthesia in elderly patients is safe, reliable, less invasive method with low costs, slight postoperative pain, and worthy of promotion.