Nerve degeneration in inguinal hernia specimens.
BACKGROUND
The histological study of the herniated inguinal area is rare in the literature. This report is focused on the detection of structural changes of the nerves within tissues bordering the inguinal hernia of cadavers. Their physiopathological consequences are hypothesized.


METHODS
Primary inguinal hernia was diagnosed in 30 fresh cadavers. Tissue specimens from the inguinal region close to and around the hernia opening were excised for histological examination. A control of the data was achieved through tissue samples excised from equivalent sites of the inguinal region in 15 cadavers without hernia.


RESULTS
The detected nerves in the inguinal area demonstrated pathological changes such as fibrotic degeneration, atrophy, and fatty dystrophy of the axons. The thickening of the perineural sheath was constantly seen. These findings were consistently present, independent of the hernia type.


CONCLUSIONS
The detected nerve alterations lead us to imagine a worsening, or even the cessation, of the nervous impulse to the muscles, leading to atrophy and weakening of the abdominal wall. This could represent one of the multifactorial causes of hernia genesis.
Amato
G
G
Department of General Surgery, Urgency, and Organ Transplantation, University of Palermo, via del Vespro 129, 90100, Palermo, Italy. amatomed@gmail.com
Ober
E
E
Romano
G
G
Salamone
G
G
Agrusa
A
A
Gulotta
G
G
Bussani
R
R
D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000294:innervation; D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D005355:Fibrosis; D006119:Groin / Q000473:pathology*; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007264:Inguinal Canal / Q000294:innervation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology*