title: Randomized clinical trial of mesh versus non-mesh primary inguinal hernia repair: long-term chronic pain at 10 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Open mesh or non-mesh inguinal hernia repair may influence the incidence of chronic postoperative pain differently.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 300 patients scheduled for repair of a primary unilateral inguinal hernia were randomized to non-mesh or mesh repair. The primary outcome measure was clinical outcome including persistent pain and discomfort interfering with daily activity. Long-term results at 3 years of follow-up have been published. Included here are 10-year follow-up results with respect to pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 300 patients, 87 patients (30%) died and 49 patients (17%) were lost to follow-up. A total of 153 were physically examined in the outpatient clinic after a median long-term follow-up of 129 months (range, 109 to 148 months). None of the patients in the non-mesh or mesh group suffered from persistent pain and discomfort interfering with daily activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our 10-year follow-up study provides evidence that mesh repair of inguinal hernia is equal to non-mesh repair with respect to long-term persistent pain and discomfort interfering with daily activity. An important new finding from the patient's perspective is that chronic postoperative pain seems to dissipate over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruben N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: van Veen
authors.forename: Arthur R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wijsmuller
authors.forename: Wietske W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Vrijland
authors.forename: Wim C J
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Johannus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeekel
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome