Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Inguinal Hernia Repair in a Tertiary Care Center

Inguinal hernia is defined as the protrusion of abdominal contents through a weakness in the inguinal region of the abdominal wall. It is one of the most frequently encountered surgical conditions, accounting for nearly 75% of all abdominal wall hernias. The lifetime risk of developing an inguinal hernia is estimated to be about 27% in men and 3% in women.

 Several factors contribute to the development of inguinal hernia, including increased intra-abdominal pressure, connective tissue disorders, chronic cough, constipation, heavy lifting, and aging. Clinically, patients typically present with a groin swelling that may be associated with pain or discomfort.

 Surgical repair is the only definitive treatment for inguinal hernia. Various techniques are used, including open tissue repair, tension-free mesh repair, and laparoscopic approaches. Among these, the Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair has become the most widely practiced technique due to its simplicity and low recurrence rates.

 Understanding the clinical profile and outcomes of patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair helps surgeons identify risk factors, optimize treatment strategies, and reduce postoperative complications.

 Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of inguinal hernia repair in patients treated at a tertiary care center.

This is a Prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery at a tertiary care teaching hospital over a 18 months.

 Study Population

All patients diagnosed with inguinal hernia and admitted for surgical repair during the study period were included.

 Sample Size

A total of 120 patients were included in the study.

 Inclusion Criteria

•               Patients aged above 18 years

•               Patients diagnosed with inguinal hernia

•               Patients who underwent surgical repair

 Exclusion Criteria

•               Patients with recurrent hernia undergoing reoperation elsewhere

•               Patients unfit for surgery

•               Patients who refused consent

 Data Collection

Information was collected using a structured proforma including:

•               Age

•               Gender

•               Occupation

•               Clinical symptoms

•               Type and side of hernia

•               Risk factors

•               Type of surgical procedure

•               Postoperative complications

 Statistical Analysis

Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results were expressed as frequencies and percentages.

Table 1: Age Distribution of Patients

 

Table 2: Gender Distribution

 

Table 3: Type of Inguinal Hernia

 

Table 4: Side of Hernia

 

Table 5: Postoperative Complications

 

The present study evaluated the clinical profile and outcomes of inguinal hernia repair in a tertiary care center. The findings showed that inguinal hernia was more common in males, accounting for more than 90% of cases. This male predominance is consistent with previous studies and is attributed to anatomical differences such as the presence of the spermatic cord and weakness in the inguinal canal.

 The most affected age group in the present study was 41–60 years, which is similar to findings reported in earlier studies. Aging leads to weakening of abdominal wall muscles, increasing the likelihood of hernia formation. Indirect inguinal hernia was the most common type observed in this study. This is consistent with the literature, which reports that indirect hernias account for the majority of cases due to congenital weakness of the deep inguinal ring. Regarding surgical management, Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair was the most commonly performed procedure. This technique has gained wide acceptance due to its low recurrence rate and simplicity.

 Postoperative complications were relatively low in this study. Surgical site infection and seroma formation were the most common complications. Recurrence occurred in only a small percentage of cases, highlighting the effectiveness of mesh repair techniques.

Overall, the outcomes of inguinal hernia repair in this tertiary care center were favorable and comparable with findings reported in previous surgical studies.

Inguinal hernia is a common surgical condition that predominantly affects middle-aged males. Indirect inguinal hernia is the most frequent type encountered. Tension-free mesh repair, particularly the Lichtenstein technique, remains the most commonly performed procedure with excellent outcomes and minimal recurrence rates.

Early diagnosis and timely surgical intervention help reduce complications and improve patient outcomes.

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