Inguinal hernias occur when a weakened spot on the abdominal wall allows the small intestine to slip into the groin. Men develop inguinal hernia nine times as often as women, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Open inguinal hernia repair, known as herniorrhaphy, can cause a number of complications, some of which can be severe.
Recurrence
The most common complication of open inguinal hernia repair, recurrence occurs in between 5 to 8 percent of people, according to FamilyPracticeNotebook.com. Around 50 percent of recurrences don't occur until at least five years the original repair, and another 20 percent don't occur until 15 to 25 years later, adds the American Academy of Family Physicians. After a second surgery, the recurrence rate is even higher for another recurrence, around 30 percent. Inguinal hernias recur less frequently when a hernioplasty--the placement of a mesh over the weakened area--is performed, states the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders.
Infection
Infection can result from any surgery, and occur in less than 2 percent of people undergoing herniorrhaphy, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders. Infection more frequently affects older patients and those undergoing more complex repairs.
Nerve Entrapment
Nerve entrapment and pain that can develop into chronic neuralgia is a significant complication of herniorrhaphy. Pain occurs in the groin, scrotum, upper thigh and hip, and can affect ejaculation in males. Nonsteroidal analgesics and time often reduce the symptoms of nerve entrapment. Surgical excision of the nerve results in pain relief in fewer than 60 percent of cases, notes the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Fertility Issues
Open inguinal hernia repair can result in permanent damage to the male reproductive tract in a small number of cases. Permanent fertility damage can occur due to the proximity of the surgery to male reproductive organs. In male children undergoing herniorrhaphy, damage occurs to the vas deferens, the tub that carries sperm from the testes, in 2 percent of cases, according to an article published in the August 2002 issue of "BJUI." Azoospermia, or the complete absence of sperm, occurs in 2 percent of cases. More than half of all men who underwent inguinal repair as children had serum antisperm antibodies and low sperm counts, according to "BJUI"; both conditions are associated with decreased fertility.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Inguinal Hernia
- "BJUI"; Male Genital Tract Injuries After Contemporary Inguinal Hernia Repair; P.F. Ridgeway, et al.; July 2002
- FamilyPracticeNotebook: Herniorrhaphy
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Surgical Options in the Management of Groin Hernias
