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Inguinal Hernia Epidemiology

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Textbook of Hernia

Abstract

Inguinal hernia is the most common abdominal wall hernia. Although 50 % of patients with an inguinal hernia are unaware of this, repair of inguinal hernia is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. Inguinal hernias occur more often in men and with increasing incidence at advanced age. The lifetime risk of developing inguinal hernia is approximately 25 % for men. Development of inguinal hernia is associated with several factors of which inheritance predominates. Low body mass index, chronic constipation, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, and prostatectomy are additional risk factors, whereas it is still debatable if certain occupations influence on inguinal hernia formation. The recurrence rate after inguinal hernia repair is 3–8 %. Experienced surgeons and those with more than five procedures yearly have fewer recurrences. A number of intraoperative aspects are related to hernia recurrence. Finally, obesity and smoking are patient-related factors that increase the risk of inguinal hernia recurrence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Digestive Disease Center, Bispebjerg Hospital, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, Copenhagen, NV, 2400, Denmark

    Kristian K. Jensen M.D. & Lars N. Jorgensen M.D., Dr.M.Sc.

  2. Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Lykkebaekvej 1, Koege, 4600, Denmark

    Nadia A. Henriksen M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Kristian K. Jensen M.D.
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  2. Nadia A. Henriksen M.D., Ph.D.
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  3. Lars N. Jorgensen M.D., Dr.M.Sc.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristian K. Jensen M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

    William W. Hope

  2. USC School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville Health System, Greenville, North Carolina, USA

    William S. Cobb

  3. Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Gina L. Adrales

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© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Jensen, K.K., Henriksen, N.A., Jorgensen, L.N. (2017). Inguinal Hernia Epidemiology. In: Hope, W., Cobb, W., Adrales, G. (eds) Textbook of Hernia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43045-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43045-4_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43045-4

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