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Inguinal herniorrhaphy in women
Morten Bay-Nielsen1, Henrik Kehlet
1Department of Surgery, KAS Glostrup, Glostrup, 2600, Denmark. herniedatabasen@hh.hosp.dk
Hernia : the Journal of Hernias and Abdominal Wall Surgery
|September 1, 2005
Summary
Female inguinal hernia repair has a higher reoperation rate than in males. Femoral hernias are frequently found during reoperation, suggesting exploration of the femoral canal during initial surgery.
Area of Science:
- Surgery
- Hernia Repair
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Inguinal hernias are uncommon in women.
- Outcomes for female inguinal hernia repair are not well-documented.
- A higher reoperation rate in women compared to men suggests a need for further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze reoperation rates following female inguinal hernia repair.
- To compare outcomes between female and male inguinal hernia repairs.
- To identify potential causes for higher reoperation rates in women.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of prospective data from the Danish national hernia database.
- Inclusion of 3,696 female inguinal hernia repairs from 1998-2003.
- Use of reoperation rates as a proxy for hernia recurrence.
Main Results:
- The overall reoperation rate for female inguinal hernia repair was 4.3%, higher than the 3.1% observed in males (P=0.001).
- Reoperation rates were not dependent on the type of surgical repair used.
- Femoral hernias were identified in 41.5% of reoperations for women, compared to 5.4% for men.
Conclusions:
- Female inguinal herniorrhaphy is associated with a higher reoperation rate than in males, irrespective of surgical technique.
- The high incidence of femoral hernias found during reoperation indicates a potential need to explore the femoral canal during primary inguinal hernia repair in women.