Femoral nerve palsy following laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy

Laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy has undergone a rapid evolution. The technique currently favored by many laparoscopic surgeons places a prosthetic mesh over the myopectineal orifice. We describe a femoral nerve palsy after such an operation and detail the anatomy of the nerves at risk during laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy. We discuss how injury to these structures and the attendant anterior thigh pain and weakness may be avoided.