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The aim was to compare long-term postoperative pain after inguinal hernia surgery using 2 techniques that have shown favorable long-term outcome in previous randomized studies: Lichtenstein using local anesthesia (LLA) and endoscopic total extra-peritoneal repair (TEP) under general anesthesia.Patients often experience pain after inguinal hernia surgery. These 2 methods in their optimal state have not yet been sufficiently compared.A randomized controlled trial was conducted to detect any difference in long-term postoperative inguinal pain. Altogether 384 patients were randomized and operated using either TEP under general anesthesia (n = 193) or LLA (n = 191). One year postoperatively, patients were examined by an independent surgeon and requested to complete the Inguinal Pain Questionnaire (IPQ), a validated questionnaire for the assessment of postoperative inguinal pain.Three hundred seventy-five (97.7%) patients completed follow-up at 1 year. In the TEP group, 39 (20.7%) patients experienced pain, compared with 62 (33.2%) patients in the LLA group (P = 0.007). Severe pain was reported by 4 patients in the TEP group and 6 patients in the LLA group (2.1% and 3.2%, respectively, P = 0.543). Pain in the operated groin limited the ability to exercise for 5 TEP patients and 14 LLA patients (2.7% and 7.5%, respectively, P = 0.034).Patients operated with TEP experienced less long-term postoperative pain and less limitation in their ability to exercise than those operated with LLA. The present data justify recommending TEP as the procedure of choice in the surgical treatment of primary inguinal hernia.

Femoral hernias are frequently operated on as an emergency. Emergency procedures for femoral hernia are associated with an almost tenfold increase in postoperative mortality, while no increase is seen for elective procedures, compared with a background population.The aim of this study was to compare whether symptoms from femoral hernias and healthcare contacts prior to surgery differ between patients who have elective and patients who have emergency surgery.A total of 1,967 individuals operated on for a femoral hernia over 1997-2006 were sent a questionnaire on symptoms experienced and contact with the healthcare system prior to surgery for their hernia. Answers were matched with data from the Swedish Hernia Register.A total of 1,441 (73.3%) patients responded. Awareness of their hernia prior to surgery was denied by 53.3% (231/433) of those who underwent an emergency procedure. Of the emergency operated patients, 31.3% (135/432) negated symptoms in the affected groin prior to surgery and 22.2% (96/432) had neither groin nor other symptoms. Elective patients had a considerably higher contact frequency with their general practitioner, as well as the surgical outpatient department, prior to surgery compared with patients undergoing emergency surgery (p0.001).Patients who have elective and patients who have emergency femoral hernia surgery differ in previous symptoms and healthcare contacts. Patients who need emergency surgery are often unaware of their hernia and frequently completely asymptomatic prior to incarceration. Early diagnosis and expedient surgery is warranted, but the lack of symptoms hinders earlier detection and intervention in most cases.

Persistent pain is common after inguinal hernia repair. The methods of surgery and anesthesia influence the risk. Local anesthesia and laparoscopic procedures reduce the risk for postoperative pain in different time perspectives. The aim of this study was to compare open Lichtenstein repair under local anesthesia (LLA) with laparoscopic total extraperitoneal repair (TEP) with respect to postoperative pain.Between 2006 and 2010, a total of 389 men with a unilateral primary groin hernia were randomized, in an open-label study, to either TEP (n = 194) or LLA (n = 195). One patient in the TEP group and four in the LLA group were excluded due to protocol violation. Details about the procedure and patient and hernia characteristics were registered. Patients completed the Inguinal Pain Questionnaire (IPQ) 6 weeks after surgery. [The study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT01020058)].A total of 378 (98.4 %) patients completed the IPQ. One hundred forty-eight patients (39.1 %) reported some degree of pain, 22 of whom had pain that affected concentration during daily activities. Men in the TEP group had less risk for pain affecting daily activities (6/191 vs. 16/187; odds ratio [OR] 0.35; 95 % CI 0.13-0.91; p = 0.025). Pain prevented participation in sporting activities less frequently after TEP (4.2 vs. 15.5 %; OR 0.24; 95 % CI 0.09-0.56; p 0.001). Twenty-nine patients (7.7 %) reported sick leave exceeding 1 week due to groin pain, with no difference between the treatment groups.Patients who underwent the laparoscopic TEP procedure suffered less pain 6 weeks after inguinal hernia repair than those who underwent LLA. Groin pain affected the LLA patients' ability to perform strenuous activities such as sports more than TEP patients.

To explore the prevalence of and to identify possible risk factors for chronic pain after surgery for femoral hernia.Chronic pain has become a very important outcome in quality assessment of inguinal hernia surgery. There are no studies on the risk for chronic pain after femoral hernia surgery.The Inguinal Pain Questionnaire was sent to 1967 patients who had had a repair for primary unilateral femoral hernia between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2006. A follow-up period of at least 18 months was chosen. Answers from 1461 patients were matched with data recorded in the Swedish Hernia Register and analyzed.Some degree of pain during the previous week was reported by 24.2% (354) of patients. Pain interfered with daily activities in 5.5% (81) of patients. Emergency surgery (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.40-0.74) and longer time since surgery (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.89-0.98 for each year added) were associated with lower risk for chronic postoperative pain, whereas a high level of preoperative pain was associated with a higher risk for chronic pain (OR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.10-1.25). Surgical technique was not found to influence the risk for chronic pain in multivariate logistic regression analysis.Chronic postoperative pain is as important a complication after femoral hernia surgery as it is after inguinal hernia surgery. In contrast to inguinal hernia surgery, no risk factor related to surgical technique was found. Further investigations into the role of preoperative pain are necessary.

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to validate a Swedish translation of the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaire in patients with gallstone disease.MethodsSensitivity to change, internal consistency, and test–retest stability were tested in 187 consecutive patients who underwent planned cholecystectomy. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the GIQLI score with the bodily pain scale of SF-36 and four single-item questions in a separate group of 104 patients.ResultsA significant increase in all five domains as well as in the overall GIQLI score 6 months after surgery (all P < 0.05) was seen. All five domains correlated significantly with other measures of gallstone-related symptoms except one single-item question. Intraclass correlations ranged from 0.62 to 0.87. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.77 to 0.89.ConclusionThe Swedish translation of GIQLI has a high validity and reliability for assessing the impact of gallstones on quality of life.

A standard polypropylene mesh used in Lichtenstein's operation induces a strong foreign tissue reaction with potential harmful effects. A mesh with less polypropylene could possibly be beneficial. Six hundred men with primary unilateral inguinal hernias were randomised to Lichtenstein's operation using a Prolene- or Vypro II-mesh in six centres. The patients were blinded to which mesh they received. A validated questionnaire assessing recurrence and pain along with SF-36 Health Survey was sent after 1 year to all patients and a selected group was clinically examined. Of the 591 operated patients, 526 (89.0%) returned the questionnaire. 188 patients had some complaints or sensations of which 111 patients were clinically examined. The mean follow-up time was 13.6 (SD. 4.0) months. The incidence of hernia recurrence (four vs. four patients) and neuralgia (three vs. four patients) did not differ between Prolene and Vypro II-groups, respectively. One Vypro II-patient was re-operated due to neuralgia. There was no difference in the SF-36 scores. The results of Lichtenstein's operation with either Prolene or Vypro II do not seem to differ significantly.

Background: The standard polypropylene mesh used in Lichtenstein’s operation induces a strong foreign-tissue reaction with potentially harmful effects. A mesh with less polypropylene could possibly be beneficial. Patients and methods: Six hundred men with inguinal hernias were randomized to Lichtenstein’s operation with Prolene or Vypro II in a single-blinded multicenter trial. The randomization was performed by a computer algorithm in a database through the Internet. All data were entered and directly validated in the database through the Internet. Results The meshes had comparable results in return to work, return to daily activities, complications, postoperative pain, and quality of life during the first 8 weeks of rehabilitation. Conclusions Lichtenstein’s operation with either Prolene or Vypro II is safe and well tolerated with an acceptable postoperative rehabilitation time and a high quality of life 2 months after surgery. The study was facilitated by the use of a database through the Internet.

Objective : To establish the relationship between gut intramucosal pH and blood flow to the gut, gut oxygen delivery, and gut oxygen extraction ratio in a porcine model of peritonitis and hemorrhage. Design : Prospective, controlled study. Setting : Experimental laboratory in a university teaching hospital. Subjects : Thirty pigs of both sexes, weighing 15 to 22 kg. Interventions : Animals were anesthetized, intubated, and mechanically ventilated. A flow probe was placed around the superior mesenteric artery for registration of blood flow. A tonometer was placed in the lumen of midileum for calculation of gut intramucosal pH. Hourly, for 5 hrs, blood samples were taken from mixed venous, mesenteric venous, and arterial blood. Five animals served as controls, ten animals had peritonitis induced by fecal instillation in the abdominal cavity, five were bled stepwise, five were bled rapidly (to a mean arterial pressure of 30 mm Hg), and five were bled rapidly and reinfused after 3 hrs. Measurements and Main Results : Both peritonitis and hemorrhage caused decreases in gut blood flow and intramucosal pH. In mild peritonitis, the intramucosal pH decrease preceded that of blood flow. In all experimental groups, oxygen delivery decreased over time ; in both mild and severe peritonitis, this decrease was preceded by a decrease of intramucosal pH. Intramucosal pH correlated well with gut oxygen extraction ratio in peritonitis (r 2 =.86). In hemorrhage, there was a correlation of r 2 =.66, but in intramucosal pH of

Background This randomized trial examined whether lightweight (LW) polypropylene mesh (large pore size, partially absorbable) could have long-term benefits in reducing chronic pain and inflammation after inguinal hernia repair. Methods Six hundred men with a primary unilateral inguinal hernia were randomized to Lichtenstein repair using a standard polypropylene mesh or a LW mesh in one of six centres. The patients were blinded to which mesh they received. Clinical examination was performed and a pain questionnaire completed 3 years after surgery. Results Of the 590 men who had surgery, 243 (82·7 per cent) of 294 in the standard mesh group and 251 (84·8 per cent) of 296 in the LW mesh group were examined in the clinic, a median of 37 (range 30-48) months after hernia repair. There were nine recurrent hernias in each group (3·7 per cent with standard mesh and 3·6 per cent with LW mesh). Patients who had LW mesh had less pain on examination, less pain on rising from lying to sitting, fewer miscellaneous groin problems and felt the mesh less often than patients with standard mesh. Conclusion Use of LW mesh for Lichtenstein hernia repair did not affect recurrence rates, but improved some aspects of pain and discomfort 3 years after surgery.

The purpose of this study was to compare a lightweight mesh to a standard polypropylene hernia mesh in endoscopic extraperitoneal hernioplasty in recurrent hernias. A total of 140 men with recurrent unilateral inguinal hernias were randomised to a totally extraperitoneal endoscopic hernioplasty (TEP) with Prolene or VyproII in a single-blinded multi-center trial. The randomisation and all data handling were performed through the Internet. 137 patients were operated as allocated. Follow-up was completed in 88% of the patients. The median operation times were 55 (24–125) min and 53.5 (21–123) min for the Prolene and VyproII groups, respectively. The meshes had comparable results in the surgeon’s assessment of the handling of the mesh, return to work, return to daily activities, complications, postoperative pain and quality of life during the first 8 weeks of rehabilitation, except in General Health (GH) SF-36, where the VyproII-group had a significantly better score (P=0.045). The use of Prolene and VyproII-meshes in endoscopic repair of recurrent inguinal hernia seems to result in similar short-term outcomes and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: The study was undertaken in order to assess the degree of concordance between the patient's and surgeon's perceptions of adverse events after groin hernia surgery.METHODS: 206 patients who underwent elective surgery for groin hernia at Samariterhemmet, Uppsala, Sweden in 2003 were invited to a follow-up visit after 3-6 weeks. At this visit the patient was instructed to answer a questionnaire including 12 questions concerning postoperative complications. A postoperative history was taken and a clinical examination performed by a surgeon who was not present at the operation and did not know the outcome of the questionnaire. All complications noted by the physician were recorded for corresponding questions in the questionnaire.RESULTS: 174 (84.5%) patients attended the follow up, 161 men and 13 women. A total of 190 complications were revealed by the questionnaire, 32 of which had caused the patient to seek help from the health-care system. There were 131 complications registered as a result of the follow-up clinical examinations and history. Kappa levels ranged from 0.11 for urinary complications to 0.56 for constipation.CONCLUSION: In general, the concordance was poor. These results emphasise the importance of providing detailed information about the usual postoperative course prior to the operation. Whereas the surgeon, from a professional point of view, has a better idea about what should be expected in the postoperative period and how any complications should be categorised, only the patient has a complete picture of the symptoms and adverse events. This makes it impossible to reach complete agreement between the patient's and surgeon's perceptions of complications, even under the most ideal circumstances.