Chronic postoperative inguinal pain: A narrative review

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Pain Management
• Patient Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Inguinodynia, or chronic postoperative inguinal pain, is an increasing concern following inguinal hernia repair.
• Patient-reported outcome measures highlight its significant impact on daily life and socioeconomic factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a narrative review of inguinodynia literature.
• To discuss epidemiology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
• To propose a novel management algorithm.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library.
• Narrative review methodology.
• Synthesis of findings on inguinodynia.

Main Results:

• Inguinodynia presents with variable incidence and clinical features, complicating diagnosis.
• There is a lack of standardized therapeutic approaches.
• Accurate etiological diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.

Conclusions:

• Effective management requires sequential and individualized treatment strategies.
• A proposed algorithm aims to guide the management of chronic postoperative inguinal pain.
• Addressing inguinodynia is vital for improving patient outcomes and reducing socioeconomic burden.