Reistrup, Hugin MD; Fonnes, Siv PhD, MD; Rosenberg, Jacob DMSc, MD
Objective: To assess the prevalence of chronic pain and sexual dysfunction after groin hernia repair in adolescents.
Summary background data: Adolescents present unique challenges in groin hernia management due to their evolving anatomy, yet data on patient-reported outcomes remain limited.
Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted in Denmark, linking patient-reported outcomes to the Danish National Patient Register and Civil Registration System. Patients who underwent primary unilateral groin hernia repair during adolescence (10–19 years) between 1992 and 2022 were identified. The primary outcome was chronic pain assessed with the short-form Inguinal Pain Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included chronic pain assessed with the Activities Assessment Scale and sexual dysfunction assessed with the Sexual Inguinal Hernia Questionnaire.
Results: Among 2,486 participants (response rate: 60.8%) completing the survey (80% male; median age at repair 16 [IQR, 12–19] years), 7.3% (95% CI, 6.3–8.4) reported chronic pain across all follow-up periods. In participants with less than 15 years of follow-up, 9% to 15% reported chronic pain depending on age at the time of repair and repair method. Chronic pain during sexual activity was reported by 8.6% (95% CI, 7.5–10) of participants. No significant differences in chronic pain or sexual dysfunction were observed between repair methods. Femoral hernia repairs were rare.
Conclusions: Chronic pain and sexual dysfunction were common long-term complications of groin hernia repair in adolescents, regardless of repair methods. Optimizing outcomes could include a tailored, patient-centered approach by hernia experts, ensuring optimal care for this unique, young, low-volume population within hernia surgery.
