Predictors of inguinodynia, recurrence, and metachronous hernias after inguinal herniorrhaphy in veteran patients.

Background: The present single-institution, single-surgeon experience interrogated morbidity as well as predictors of inguinodynia, recurrence, and metachronous hernias in 953 consecutive inguinal herniorrhaphies between 2005 and 2015.

Methods: Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed from patient medical records at the VA North Texas Health Care System.

Results: Ninety-nine percent of our patients were male, 73% Caucasian, 60.4 ± 1.4 years old, body mass index = 26.7 ± 4.2 kg/m(2). Overall morbidity was 11.9%. The most common complication was urinary retention (2.3%). Inguinodynia and recurrence occurred at a rate of 1.5% and .8%, respectively. If a patient had a hernia repair, he had a 12% chance of needing a contralateral repair within 7.6 years. Younger age (odds ratio [OR], .96; 95% confidence interval [CI], .91 to 1.0), current history of smoking (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.3 to 22.3), and a previous contralateral hernia repair (OR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 25.0) were independent predictors of inguinodynia. A direct hernia was associated with recurrence (45% vs 100%; P = .02). Current smoking was an independent predictor of recurrence (OR, 5.4; 95% CI 1.0 to 29.3). Age (55- to 75-year old; OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.9), age (>75-year old; OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 6.1), an indirect hernia repair (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.1), a pantaloon hernia repair (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0 to 3.8), and current consumption of alcohol (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.5) were independent predictors of a metachronous hernia.

Conclusions: The following study presents several factors predictive of outcomes in patients with inguinal hernias that might be useful in preventing complications and providing informed consent to this patient population.