Abstract
Inguinal hernia repair remains one of the most common surgical procedures performed by general surgeons throughout the world. While the vast majority of patients do well in the postoperative setting, there are various aspects of perioperative and postoperative care that, if managed appropriately, will help the patient through their recovery following repair. Given the potential for pain following hernia repair, a major focus of the perioperative and postoperative phases is pain management. Appropriate pain management and physical activity advancement allow the patient to resume their daily activities as well as employment, though activity advancement is quite varied from surgeon to surgeon. Other aspects of care, including fluid management and risk of urinary retention, can affect prompt discharge following inguinal hernia repair. While the majority of inguinal hernia repairs result in successful outcomes, there is potential for seroma, hematoma, infection, chronic groin pain, and recurrence, among other risks. While many of these risks can be treated nonoperatively, there is potential for prolonged convalescence and even reoperation, which can greatly affect the patient’s quality of life until resolved.
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Siegal, S.R., Orenstein, S.B. (2018). Postoperative Management. In: LaPinska, M., Blatnik, J. (eds) Surgical Principles in Inguinal Hernia Repair . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92892-0_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92892-0_13
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