Objective:

To analyze economic claims related to chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair and to determine the prevalence of isolated chronic pain claims compared to other claim reasons.

Approach:

• Study Design: A consecutive retrospective register analysis of claim data from the Danish Patient Compensation Association covering a 15-year period (2007–2022).
• Eligibility Criteria: Included patients aged 18 and older who underwent elective inguinal or femoral hernia mesh-repair. Excluded patients with emergency operations or insufficient medical records.
• Data Collection: Claims were categorized into three groups: isolated chronic pain claims (ICP), claims not involving chronic pain (NCP), and claims involving chronic pain with other reasons (CCP).

Key Findings:

• 507 patient claims were analyzed, with 256 (50.5%) involving chronic pain.
• 271 (53.5%) patients underwent laparoscopic repair.
• The median age of patients was 52 years, with a predominance of males (87.8%).
• The median time from hernia repair to filing a claim in the ICP group was 1.5 years.

Interpretation:

The study reveals a significant prevalence of economic claims related to chronic pain following inguinal hernia surgery.

Limitations:

• The study did not conduct significance testing as group distribution was not deemed relevant.
• Sample size was arbitrarily defined without prior calculation.
• The retrospective nature may limit the comprehensiveness of data.

Conclusion:

Chronic pain is a prevalent issue following inguinal hernia repair, warranting further investigation into its economic implications.