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Trends in operation rates for inguinal hernia over five decades in England: database study.
J J Maisonneuve1, D Yeates2, M J Goldacre3
1Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford University, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK. jenny.maisonneuve@dph.ox.ac.uk.
Hernia : the Journal of Hernias and Abdominal Wall Surgery
|November 5, 2014
Summary
Operation rates for inguinal hernia remained stable overall but shifted significantly by age group. Obstructed hernia rates declined, especially in earlier years, with no rise linked to recent elective surgery reductions.
Area of Science:
- Surgery
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Inguinal hernias are common, requiring surgical repair.
- Trends in surgical intervention rates provide insights into healthcare utilization and population health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze temporal trends in surgical operation rates for inguinal hernias, differentiating between obstructed and unobstructed cases.
- To examine these trends over a five-decade period in England.
Main Methods:
- Utilized routine hospital statistics from National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England.
- Analyzed data spanning from 1968 to 2011.
Main Results:
- Elective repair rates for unobstructed inguinal hernias in males showed overall stability but masked significant age-related shifts: declining in the young and increasing in the elderly.
- Admission rates for obstructed inguinal hernias in males nearly halved between 1968 and 2011.
- Female admission rates for both types of inguinal hernias showed a gradual decline over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Overall inguinal hernia operation rates have been stable, but age demographics have shifted considerably.
- Obstructed inguinal hernia rates have decreased over time, with no observed increase correlating with recent reductions in elective hernia repair.
- These findings highlight evolving patterns in surgical intervention for inguinal hernias across different age groups and hernia types.
