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Prognostic value of age for chronic postoperative inguinal pain

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Abstract

Purpose

Chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) is considered the most common and serious long-term problem after inguinal hernia repair. Young age has been described as a risk factor for developing chronic pain after several surgical procedures. Our aim was to assess if age has prognostic value on CPIP.

Methods

The database of a randomized trial; the LEVEL trial, 669 patients, TEP versus Lichtenstein, was used for analysis. Data on incidence and intensity of preoperative pain, postoperative pain and CPIP at 1 year were collected. The association of age with incidence and intensity of pain was assessed with regression analysis. Further, hernia type and surgical technique were studied in combination with age and CPIP as possible risk factors on CPIP over age alone.

Results

Younger patients (18–40 years) presented more often with CPIP than middle-aged patients (40–60 years) and elderly (>60 years); 43 vs. 29 vs. 19 %; overall 27 %. Younger and middle-aged patients had more frequently preoperative pain; 54 vs. 55 vs. 41 % and intensity of pain was higher during the first three postoperative days (VAS on day 1: 5.5 vs. 4.5 vs. 3.9 and on day 3: 3.8 vs. 2.9 vs. 2.6). Indirect-type hernias were seen more often in younger patients (77 vs. 51 vs. 48 %) and were not related to CPIP or with surgical technique.

Conclusions

Almost one out of three patients experiences CPIP. The younger the patient, the higher the risk of CPIP. Hernia type and surgical technique did not influence CPIP.

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Conflicts of interest

There were no conflicts of interests by Langeveld, Klitsie, Smedina, Eker, Riet, Weidema, Vergouwe, Bonjer, Jeekel, Lange.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    H. R. Langeveld, P. Klitsie, H. Eker & J. F. Lange

  2. Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    H. Smedinga & Y. Vergouwe

  3. Department of Surgery, Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Delft, The Netherlands

    M. van’t Riet

  4. Department of Surgery, Ikazia Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    W. Weidema

  5. Department of Surgery, Free University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    H. J. Bonjer

  6. Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    J. Jeekel

  7. Department of Paediatric Surgery, Erasmus MC, PO Box 2060, 3000 CB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    H. R. Langeveld

Authors
  1. H. R. Langeveld
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  2. P. Klitsie
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  3. H. Smedinga
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  4. H. Eker
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  5. M. van’t Riet
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  6. W. Weidema
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  7. Y. Vergouwe
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  8. H. J. Bonjer
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  9. J. Jeekel
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  10. J. F. Lange
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Correspondence to H. R. Langeveld.

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Langeveld, H.R., Klitsie, P., Smedinga, H. et al. Prognostic value of age for chronic postoperative inguinal pain. Hernia 19, 549–555 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-014-1282-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-014-1282-0

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