Clinical study on complicated presentations of groin hernias

Birat Journal of Health Sciences

Introduction: Groin hernias are common problem worldwide with approximate incidence of 5%. Indirect inguinal hernia is the commonest hernia irrespective of gender. The prevalence as well as complication of inguinal hernia will increase with increasing age. Strangulation, the most common serious complication of inguinal hernia occurs in 1 to 3 % of the patients. Outcome of the treatment depends on the duration of presentation, co-morbidities and extent of the surgery.Objective: The objectives were to study the different clinical presentation, surgical options and outcome of complicated groin hernia in tertiary care centre.Methodology: This retrospective review of case sheet was conducted in the department of surgery. We reviewed the record file of complicated groin hernia patients, irrespective of age and gender from January 2008 to December 2016 (8 years). Ethical Clearance was obtained from institutional review committee. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for windows, v...

ANZ Journal of Surgery, 1998

Background: Complications that develop in groin hernias, such as irreducibility and obstruction, with or without strangulation may make an easily treatable condition a life-threatening one. Identification of risk factors that may predict development would help place the patient in a high-risk group. Priority admission and early elective surgery for such a patient would avoid significant mortality and morbidity. Methods: This is a 10-year combined prospective and retrospective study of children and adults. Records of complicated groin hernias were identified from July 1985 to July 1995 from the outpatient department and available inpatient medical records. The same number of controls of simple uncomplicated hernias were then chosen using random number tables from among the large number belonging to the same time period. These two groups were then compared and analysed using statistical methods for age, sex. side of hernia, site of hernia (inguinaYfemoral), duration of hernia, length of the waiting list for elective surgery, and contents of the hernial sac along with some other parameters to identify patients with high-risk factors. Results: Age was found to be a significant risk factor and predicted complications in both elderly adults and very young children. Sex of the patient (male) and side of hernia (right) were significant risk factors in children only. Site of hernia was an important risk factor and adults with femoral hernia were most likely to experience complications. Duration of hernia for less than a year proved to be the most important risk factor for both children and adults. The majority of patients with complicated hernias had not presented earlier in the outpatient department, which implies that most hernias that become complicated do so within a very short time before patient referral. Mortality was high in patients with coexisting diseases, while morbidity was affected by viability of contents of the hernial sac which in turn was directly affected by duration of irreducibility or delay in presentation. Conclusions: The risk factors useful in predicting complications in an adult patient with groin hernia were age (older age group), duration of hernia (short duration), type of hernia (femoral more than inguinal) and coexisting medical illness. In children, the risk factors were age (very young), gender (male), short duration of hernia and side (right side).

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery, 2011

Groin herniorrhaphy is the most common operation performed by general surgeons. Annually, more than 20 million groin hernias are repaired worldwide. The general approach towards groin hernias is surgical repair regardless of the presence of symptoms. The rationale to recommend surgery for asymptomatic groin hernias is prevention of visceral strangulation. The goal of this review is to evaluate the appropriateness of surgery in patients with asymptomatic groin hernias. The review was based on an extensive literature search of Pubmed, Medline and the Cochrane Library. The risk of incarceration is approximately 4 per 1,000 patients with a groin hernia per year. Risk factors for incarceration are age above 60 years, femoral hernia site and duration of signs less than 3 months. Morbidity and mortality rates of emergency groin hernia repair are higher in patients who are older than 49 years, have a delay between onset of symptoms and surgery of more than 12 h, have a femoral hernia, have ...

Journal of Minimal Access Surgery, 2006

Complications in endoscopic inguinal hernia surgery are more dangerous and more frequent than those of open surgery, especially in inexperienced hands and hence are best avoided. It is possible to avoid most of these complications if one follows a set of well-defined steps and principles of endoscopic inguinal hernia surgery. Complications are known to occur at each and every step of hernia surgery. Applying caution while performing each step can save the patient from a lot of morbidity. One starts by applying strict patient selection criteria for endoscopic hernia repair, especially in the initial part of ones learning curve. A thorough knowledge of anatomy goes a long way in avoiding most of the complications seen in hernia repair. This anatomy needs to be relearned from what one is used to, as the approach is totally different from an open hernia repair. And finally, learning and mastering the right technique is an essential prerequisite before one ventures into inguinal hernia repair. Although there has been an increased incidence of complications reported in endoscopic repair in the earlier series, this can be explained partly by the fact that it was in the early part of the learning curve of most endoscopic surgeons. As the experience grew and the techniques were standardized, the incidences of complications have also reduced and have come to be on par with open hernia surgery. The various complications and precautions to be taken to avoid them will be discussed.

Surgical Endoscopy

Background Groin hernia management has a significant worldwide diversity with multiple surgical techniques and variable outcomes. The International guidelines for groin hernia management serve to help in groin hernia management, but the acceptance among general surgeons remains unknown. The aim of our study was to gauge the degree of agreement with the guidelines among health care professionals worldwide. Methods Forty-six key statements and recommendations of the International guidelines for groin hernia management were selected and presented at plenary consensus conferences at four international congresses in Europe, the America's and Asia. Participants could cast their votes through live voting. Additionally, a web survey was sent out to all society members allowing online voting after each congress. Consensus was defined as > 70% agreement among all participants. Results In total 822 surgeons cast their vote on the key statements and recommendations during the four plenary consensus meetings or via the web survey. Consensus was reached on 34 out of 39 (87%) recommendations, and on six out of seven (86%) statements. No consensus was reached on the use of light versus heavyweight meshes (69%), superior cost-effectiveness of day-case laparo-endoscopic repair (69%), omitting prophylactic antibiotics in hernia repair, general or local versus regional anesthesia in elderly patients (55%) and re-operation in case of immediate postoperative pain (59%). Conclusion Globally, there is 87% consensus regarding the diagnosis and management of groin hernias. This provides a solid basis for standardizing the care path of patients with groin hernias.

Hernia, 2018

Introduction Worldwide, more than 20 million patients undergo groin hernia repair annually. The many different approaches, treatment indications and a significant array of techniques for groin hernia repair warrant guidelines to standardize care, minimize complications, and improve results. The main goal of these guidelines is to improve patient outcomes, specifically to decrease recurrence rates and reduce chronic pain, the most frequent problems following groin hernia repair. They have been endorsed by all five continental hernia societies, the International Endo Hernia Society and the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery. Methods An expert group of international surgeons (the HerniaSurge Group) and one anesthesiologist pain expert was formed. The group consisted of members from all continents with specific experience in hernia-related research. Care was taken to include surgeons who perform different types of repair and had preferably performed research on groin hernia surgery. During the Group's first meeting, evidence-based medicine (EBM) training occurred and 166 key questions (KQ) were formulated. EBM rules were followed in complete literature searches (including a complete search by The Dutch Cochrane database) to January 1, 2015 and to July 1, 2015 for level 1 publications. The articles were scored by teams of two or three according to Oxford, SIGN and Grade methodologies. During five 2-day meetings, results were discussed with the working group members leading to 136 statements and 88 recommendations. Recommendations were graded as ''strong'' (recommendations) or ''weak'' (suggestions) and by consensus in some cases upgraded. In the Results and summary section below, the term ''should'' refers to a recommendation. The AGREE II instrument was used to validate the guidelines. An external review was performed by three international experts. They recommended the guidelines with high scores. Results and summary The risk factors for inguinal hernia (IH) include: family history, previous contra-lateral hernia, male gender, age, abnormal collagen metabolism, prostatectomy, and low body mass index. Peri-operative risk factors for recurrence include poor surgical techniques, low surgical volumes, surgical inexperience and local anesthesia. These should be considered when treating IH patients. IH diagnosis can be confirmed by physical examination alone in the vast majority of patients with appropriate signs and symptoms. Rarely, ultrasound is necessary. Less commonly still, a dynamic MRI or CT scan The guidelines have been endorsed by the following societies: European Hernia Society (EHS), Americas Hernia Society (AHS),

Annals of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery

BJS Open

Background Groin hernia repair is one of the most common operations performed globally, with more than 20 million procedures per year. The last guidelines on groin hernia management were published in 2018 by the HerniaSurge Group. The aim of this project was to assess new evidence and update the guidelines. The guideline is intended for general and abdominal wall surgeons treating adult patients with groin hernias. Method A working group of 30 international groin hernia experts and all involved stakeholders was formed and examined all new literature on groin hernia management, available until April 2022. Articles were screened for eligibility and assessed according to GRADE methodologies. New evidence was included, and chapters were rewritten. Statements and recommendations were updated or newly formulated as necessary. Results Ten chapters of the original HerniaSurge inguinal hernia guidelines were updated. In total, 39 new statements and 32 recommendations were formulated (16 stro...

Hernia, 2010

Purpose Hernia repairs are a common surgical procedure, and are associated with a significant cost. Despite the acceptance of the advantages of early elective hernia repairs, the incidence of emergency admissions with complicated presentations remains high, and the natural history of an untreated hernia is not obvious. This study aimed to define risk factors related with unfavorable outcomes in groin hernia repairs. Methods We analyzed the records of 685 elective or emergency repairs of groin hernias between December 2005 and June 2009. Patient age ranged from 17 to 85 years, with 240 (35%) of patients being older than 60 years of age. Indirect inguinal hernias were the most common hernia type in both sexes of patients. Coexisting cardiopulmonary problems were noted in 294 male and 33 female patients. American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grades 3 and 4 were encountered in 61 (9%) patients. Data were analyzed by chi-square test. Results Significantly high incarceration and strangulation rates were found in females and femoral hernia type. The overall morbidity rate was 7%, major complications 3%. No mortality was observed in the series and postoperative complications were significantly more common in patients with high ASA score and severe coexisting cardiopulmonary problems. Advanced age, delayed admission, femoral type hernia and female sex were also linked with unfavorable outcomes. Conclusions The risk of complicated presentation and unfavorable outcome in patients with groin hernia is significant in the presence of factors such as advanced age, femoral hernia, female sex, delayed admission, severe coexisting cardiopulmonary problems and high ASA score. Although it is difficult to estimate the natural history of untreated hernia, hernia repairs of patients with the above-mentioned risk factors should be timely and elective.

BMC Surgery, 2013

Background: Groin hernia is one of the most frequently encountered pathologies occurring in old age and it is often the cause of emergency procedures. In our study we evaluate the impact of emergency procedures in over 75 patients compared to younger patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study about patients who underwent emergency hernioplasty between September 2007 and January 2013. Bilateral hernias and recurrences were excluded. We divided patients into two groups by age (under and over 75 years old) and then analyzed the early postoperative surgical complications. Results: A total of 48 patients were enrolled, 18 were included in under 75 group and 30 in over 75. In the older group we found a higher rate of comorbidity and also a significant higher rate of postoperative complications. Two patients of over 75 group died. Conclusions: Our data suggests that a quick diagnosis and elective surgical procedures are desirable in order to avoid the complications that occur in emergency operations. Compagna et al. BMC Surgery 2013, 13(Suppl 2):S29