Risk factors for injuries associated with damage claims following groin hernia repair

Hernia - Surgical repair of groin hernia should be carried out with minimal complication rates, and it is important to have regular quality control and accurate means of assessment. The Swedish...     

Outcome of patients with severe chronic pain following repair of groin hernia

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is the most serious long-term complication that can occur after repair of a groin hernia. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients who report severe or very severe pain 3 months after groin hernia repair. METHODS: This was a population-based study of all patients who underwent repair of a groin hernia between April 1998 and March 1999 in Scotland. All received a postal questionnaire 3 months after hernia repair and those who reported severe or very severe pain at the operation site were asked to complete a further questionnaire 2.5 years later. The main outcome measure included the number of patients with persistent pain and the effect of pain on daily activities and quality of life. RESULTS: Of 5506 patients who underwent repair of a groin hernia, 4062 (74 per cent) returned the first questionnaire and 125 (3 per cent) reported severe or very severe pain. Eight-six (72 per cent) of 120 patients (five had died or could not be contacted at the original address) replied to the second questionnaire; 61 (71 per cent) still reported pain, which was severe or very severe pain in 22 (26 per cent) and mild or very mild in 39 (45 per cent). Twenty-nine (48 per cent) sought further medical help from their general practitioner or surgeon. Nine (15 per cent) attended a pain clinic while five (8 per cent) had further surgery. Chronic pain had significant effects (P < 0.001) on all daily activities including walking, work, sleep, relationships with other people, mood and general enjoyment of life. CONCLUSION: Chronic pain persists in most patients who report severe or very severe pain at 3 months after hernia repair, and has a significant effect on the patients' daily activities and quality of life.     

Inguinal hernia repair in England

120,000 groin hernias are repaired every year in Britain by the 1,000 consultant general surgeons and their junior staff. Most of these are elective operation and the average patient stays in hospital for slightly less than a week. Some patients only present to the doctor when a complication of their hernia develops which requires an emergency operation. A few people prefer to live with truss. We must hope that the increasing safety of surgery and free health care will gradually eliminate both these latter two categories of patient.     

Chronic pain after childhood groin hernia repair

Background

In contrast to the well-described 10% risk of chronic pain affecting daily activities after adult groin hernia repair, chronic pain after childhood groin hernia repair has never been investigated. Studies of other childhood surgery before the age of 3 months suggest a risk of increased pain responsiveness later in life, but its potential relationship to chronic pain in adult life is unknown.

Methods

This was a nationwide detailed questionnaire study of chronic groin pain in adults having surgery for a groin hernia repair before the age of 5 years (n = 1075).

Results

The response rate was 63.3%. In the 651 patients available for analysis, pain from the operated groin was reported by 88 (13.5%) patients whereof 13 (2.0%) patients reported frequent and moderate or severe pain. Pain occurred primarily when exercising sports or other leisure activities. Patients operated on before the age of 3 months (n = 122) did not report groin pain more often or with higher intensity than other patients did.

Conclusions

Groin pain in adult patients operated on for a groin hernia in childhood is uncommon and usually mild and occurs in relation to physical activity. Operation before the age of 3 months does not increase the risk of chronic pain.     

Excellent outcomes after emergency groin hernia repair

Purpose  

Emergency repair of incarcerated inguinal and femoral hernias has traditionally been regarded as carrying an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in a patient population that tends to be elderly with significant co-morbidities. Excessive waiting times for elective repair and delays in diagnosis and treatment increase the risk of strangulation, bowel resection and overall mortality. This study examined the management of emergency surgery for groin hernias for a 3 year period in a large teaching hospital.     

腹膜前间隙前入路修补腹股沟区疝临床体会

目的：探讨腹膜前间隙前入路修补腹股沟区疝的治疗效果。方法回顾性分析2011年8月至2012年7月,华中科技大学同济医学院附属协和医院采用腹膜前间隙修补腹股沟区疝80例患者的临床资料,观察手术时间、术后住院时间、术后并发症等情况。结果全组患者单侧手术时间（28＆#177;9）min;术后1～4 d出院,平均2．4 d;术后并发阴囊积液2例,无切口补片感染。术后随访4～16个月,平均10个月,无复发、慢性疼痛及明显异物感。结论使用腹膜前间隙补片行局部麻醉下前入路腹股沟区疝修补,疗效确切,值得推广。     

Mortality following emergency groin hernia surgery in Denmark

Purpose  

The mortality following emergency groin hernia repair in Denmark is more than twice as high (7%) as in comparable countries. This article describes in detail the population that died following emergency herniotomy in order to identify aspects of care that may improve outcome.     

无张力修补术治疗腹股沟疝

目的　总结疝环充填式无张力疝修补术的近期临床效果。方法　自 1 999年 1 0月～2 0 0 3年 8月采用Lichtenstein和Mesh plug两种手术方法对 1 1 8例腹股沟疝患者行无张力疝修补术。结果　全部治愈 ,患者术后平均 1d下床活动 ,平均住院天数 6 .5d。并发尿潴留 3例 ,8例术后切口疼痛 ,其中 3例于手术当晚使用止痛剂 ,阴囊肿胀 4例 ,7d内吸收消退。无切口感染及其它明显并发症 ,复发 1例 ,复发率 0 .9%。结论　无张力疝修补术很少游离正常解剖 ,并确保了无张力修补 ,这是患者迅速恢复及低复发率的两个最重要因素。此术式尤其适合治疗老年性腹股沟疝及复发疝     

Chronic sequelae of common elective groin hernia repair

Background The aim of this study was to assess long-term chronic pain, numbness and functional impairment after open and laparoscopic groin hernia repair in a teaching hospital. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study in which all adult patients with a groin hernia repair between January 2000 and August 2005 received a questionnaire by post. It contained questions concerning frequency and intensity of pain, presence of bulge, numbness, and functional impairment. Results One thousand seven hundred and sixty-six questionnaires were returned (81.6%) and after a median follow-up period of nearly 3 years 40.2% of patients reported some degree of pain. Thirty-three patients (1.9%) experienced severe pain. Almost one-fourth reported numbness which correlated significantly with pain (P < 0.001). Other variables, identified as risk factors for the development of pain were age (P < 0.001) and recurrent hernia repair (P = 0.003). One-fifth of the patients felt functionally impaired in their work or leisure activities. Conclusion Chronic pain and functional impairment are very common long-term complications after groin herniorrhapy in Dutch teaching hospitals. This study was not funded.     

Extraperitoneal endoscopic groin hernia repair under epidural anesthesia

We performed a prospective study to evaluate the feasibility of performing endoscopic total extraperitoneal repair of groin hernia (TEP) under epidural anesthesia in selected patients considered to be at high risk or unfit for general anesthesia. Fifty-eight endoscopic total extraperitoneal hernia repairs were performed in 36 patients between January 1997 and December 1999 under epidural anesthesia since they were considered a high risk or unfit for general anesthesia. All patients received intramuscular diclofenac sodium for preemptive analgesia. Intraoperatively, all were sedated with intravenous midazolam and fentanyl. Endoscopic TEP repair was successful under epidural anesthesia in 33 of 36 patients. In the remaining three patients, the procedure had to be converted to Lichtenstein's repair due to shoulder discomfort experienced by the patients as a result of pneumoperitoneum, which was produced by incidental peritoneal tears during extraperitoneal dissection. Intraoperatively, one patient had bleeding from the inferior epigastric artery, which was controlled with clipping of the artery. The mean operative time was 48 minutes (range, 28-72 minutes) in the TEP group and 94 minutes (range, 84-102 minutes) in the converted group. All the patients received an epidural top-up dose at the end of surgery for postoperative analgesia. All patients were ambulatory the same day. Postoperative pain was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS). The mean pain score was 1.2 (+/- 0.8) on discharge in the TEP group. During follow-up, seven patients developed scrotal swelling with cord induration, which was treated conservatively with scrotal support and analgesics. In all patients, resolution was observed within 6 weeks. One patient was detected to have a recurrence 4 months after surgery. Endoscopic TEP repair under epidural anesthesia appears to be safe, technically feasible, and an acceptable alternative in patients who are at high risk or unfit for general anesthesia.     

Classic groin hernia repair...lest we forget

Currently, operative repair of inguinal hernia is most often performed using one of the open mesh procedures or laparoscopic techniques. These newer approaches minimize anatomical dissection critical to the time-honored traditional hernia surgery described by Bassini, Halsted, McVay, Laroque, Shouldice, and other early pioneers. The familiarity with groin anatomy and the technical skill gained in performing these operations is currently missing from present-day surgical residency training. This article reviews 5 classic hernia operations described by the surgeons whose name they bear, with a view toward better understanding the authors' techniques and philosophies. Each of these operations, though considered by some as of historical interest only, offers today's surgeon reliable alternatives when the simple application of mesh by open or laparoscopic technique is inappropriate. (Curr Surg 62:249-252. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery.).     

Reducing the pain of open groin hernia repair

Pain after open mesh repair of groin hernia has a multifactorial etiology. Suturing technique for anchoring the mesh is important. Sutures placed too tightly, a common practice, are often the site of pain and point tenderness. These pain points are often precisely felt by patients and may vary in their intensity and duration. We believe that this type of suturing-technique-related pain can be significantly reduced by an air-knotting technique described below. The mesh was anchored with sutures tied in a subtle air-knot. In the event of accidentally incorporating a nerve in the knot, an air knot is less likely to cause the distressing symptoms of entrapment neuralgia. All knots are tied above the mesh and not across the edge of the mesh. Using this technique, we believe a significant reduction in the sharp, well-localized point pain can be achieved.Presented at the meeting of the American Hernia Society, in Orlando, Fla. USA, in February 2004     

Re-operation due to severe late-onset persisting groin pain following anterior inguinal hernia repair with mesh

Objectives  Mild pain lasting for a few days is common following mesh inguinal hernia repair. In some patients however, severe groin pain may appear months or even years postoperatively. The aim of this study was to report our experience of late-onset persisting severe postoperative groin pain occurring years after mesh hernioplasty. Methods  In a 9-year period, 1,633 patients (1,073 men), median age 63 years (range 19–88), underwent mesh groin hernia repair. Between 1.5 and 4 years postoperatively, six patients (0.35%) presented with severe chronic groin pain unrelieved by conservative measures and surgical exploration was essential. The patients’ records were retrospectively reviewed for the purpose of this study. Results  Ilioinguinal nerve entrapment was detected in four patients. The meshes appeared to be indistinguishable from the nerve and were removed along with the stuck nerve. New meshes were properly inserted. Mesh fixation on the periostium of the pubic tubercle by a staple was found in the other two patients. The staples were removed from the periostium in both patients. Neither hernia recurrence nor chronic groin pain was persisting in all six patients during a follow-up of 6–44 months postoperatively. Conclusion  From the results of this study, it appears that ilioinguinal nerve entrapment and/or mesh fixation on the periostium of the pubic tubercle are the causes of late-onset severe chronic pain after inguinal mesh hernioplasty. Mesh removal, along with the stuck ilioinguinal nerve and staple detachment from the periostium, are the gold-standard techniques if conservative measures fail to reduce pain.     

Laparoscopic hernia repair in patients with bilateral groin hernias.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcome of unilateral and bilateral laparoscopic hernia repair. DESIGN: Prospective consecutive trial. SETTING: University hospital, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 380 patients who had unilateral hernias repaired laparoscopically and 64 patients who had bilateral hernias repaired. The median (range) age in the two groups was 56 (21-86) and 61 (30-85) years, respectively and the median (range) follow-up was 42 (24-58) months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Operating time, hospital stay, complications, and time to recovery. RESULTS: The median (range) operating time was 70 (25-240) minutes in the unilateral and in the bilateral group 113 (55-330) minutes. The complication rate, recurrence rate, and time to full recovery did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic approach seems to be a good option for patients with bilateral inguinal hernias.     

Postoperative compression in preventing early complications after groin hernia repair

Hernia - We conducted this study to investigate the efficacy, safety, and clinical value of postoperative compression in preventing seroma formation, relieving acute pain, and improving QoL after...