Incidence of chronic post-surgical pain and its associated factors in patients taken to inguinal hernia repair

Chronic inguinal pain post-hernioplasty. Laparo-endoscopic surgery vs lichtenstein repair: systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Annually, over 20 million patients worldwide undergo inguinal hernia repair procedures. Surgery stands as the recommended treatment, however, a consensus on the optimal method is lacking. This study aims to conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the risk of chronic inguinal pain and recurrence between laparo-endoscopic mesh repair (TAPP and TEP) versus Lichtenstein repair for inguinal hernia.

METHODS

Searches were conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults, published in English and Spanish, comparing surgical outcomes among the Lichtenstein open technique, TAPP, and/or TEP. Adherence to the PRISMA guidelines was maintained in the methodology, and the CASP tool was employed to assess the quality of the articles. Statistical analysis involved mean [± standard deviation (SD)], Odds Ratio (OR), and Confidence Interval (CI).

RESULTS

Eight RCTs encompassing 1,469 patients randomized to Lichtenstein repair (n = 755) and laparo-endoscopic repair (n = 714) were included. Laparo-endoscopic repair was associated with a lower likelihood of chronic inguinal pain compared to Lichtenstein repair (OR = 0.28, 95% CI [0.30-0.56], p = 0.0001). There were no significant differences in recurrence rates between the laparo-endoscopic and the Lichtenstein group (OR = 1.03, 95% CI [0.57-1.86], p = 0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that laparo-endoscopic hernia surgery leads to a lower incidence of chronic inguinal pain compared to Lichtenstein repair, while maintaining similar rates of recurrence.

Inguinodynia: review of predisposing factors and management

Herniorrhaphy is one of the most common surgical procedures, with an estimated 20 million operations performed annually worldwide. One of the common complications associated with this procedure is inguinodynia, defined as pain beyond three months after inguinal hernia surgery. In this review, we have addressed the main aspects of this complication with current articles, published in the last five years. Inguinodynia has a multifactorial nature and studies have shown that its development is related to the surgical technique and intrinsic factors of the patient that imply greater predisposition to this phenomenon. In this regard, it has been discussed which surgical techniques imply a lower incidence of this complication. Many studies have focused on understanding intrinsic features of each patient, both in physical and cognitive aspects, and how the approach of these factors can favor a better post-surgical recovery. The treatment of this condition is still challenging, and there are no established universal guidelines. We believe that due to its multifactorial nature, the treatment is hampered due to the individuality inguinodynia presentations.

Trajectories of post-surgical pain in infants admitted to neonatal intensive care

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was (a) to statistically identify distinct trajectories of pain following surgery in infants less than 6 months of age, and (b) to compare these trajectories to descriptions of chronic pain in infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODS

This was a retrospective medical record review of infants admitted to a NICU between 2008 and 2018 following surgery. All infants who underwent one major procedure to the abdomen or thorax and returned to the NICU following surgery were included. Pain was assessed regularly using a validated Pain Assessment Tool. Group-based trajectory analysis was used to determine the trajectory of recovery from pain following surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 726 infants were included in the study. A two-group trajectory model, defined as typical and atypical pain trajectories, was selected. The typical group (n = 467) consisted of infants who had significantly fewer days (1.5 ± 2.3 vs 5.3 ± 5.5, p < .001) and recorded instances of pain (2.0 ± 3.4 vs 9.7 ± 10.5, p < .001) compared to infants in the atypical group (n = 259). The incidence of iatrogenic neonatal abstinence syndrome was greater in the atypical than the typical group (11% vs 5%, p = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study has revealed two distinct pain trajectories in infants after surgery. While recovery from pain occurs within days in the typical group, the atypical group demonstrates pain for a significantly longer period, often weeks and months following surgery. This latter group adheres closely to current descriptions of chronic pain in infants.