Objectives: The percentage of chronic pain in adults having inguinal hernia repair is 5-35%. Although this pain is thought to be related to some reasons, there is not an exact conclusion about this. In this study, the aim was to point out the incidence of chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair and determination of the risk factors.
Methods: Two hundred and four patients having inguinal hernia surgery between January 2011 and December 2012 were included into this study. The patients' pain was measured with VAS within 24 hours and at the third and the sixth month after surgery. The patients whose VAS was >3 three months after surgery were evaluated to have chronic pain.
Results: The incidence of pain continuing 3 months after surgery was 18.6% and 11.2% six months after surgery. 78.3% of the patients had already had pain before surgery, and in 28% of them, chronic pain had evolved. The measure of VAS within 24 hours postoperatively was found higher in patients who developed chronic pain (3.13 ± 1.12/1.71 ± 1.27). 5.2% of the patients had re-operation for reparation and chronic pain developed in all. Chronic pain was neuropathic in 48% of the patients, and its severity was moderate.
Conclusion: The incidence of chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair was found %18, compatible with similar studies. Compared with other risk factors, preoperative pain, postoperative severe acute pain and reoperations were thought to be the most important risk factors for the development of chronic pain.