Page 31 - International guidelines for groin hernia management

Hernia

Chapter 8 Key questions
KQ08.a In those with unilateral overt primary IHs, what is
Occult hernias the likelihood that they will also have a contralateral occult
IH?
A. C. de Beaux, N. Schouten and J. F. Kukleta KQ08.b In those with unilateral overt primary IHs, what is
the likelihood that they will develop contralateral overt
Introduction hernias over time?
KQ08.c In patients who have undergone a unilateral TEP
An occult hernia, as defined by the HerniaSurge Group, is and negative contralateral exploration, what is the risk of
an asymptomatic hernia not detectable by physical developing an overt hernia on the disease-free side at a
examination. later date?
IH formation is considered a bilateral condition based on KQ08.d In those where an occult contralateral IH is seen
etiology, yet for many patients presentation with a unilat- during TAPP will it become symptomatic if not repaired?
eral symptomatic hernia is typical. Occasionally, a con- KQ08.e In those with overt unilateral primary inguinal
tralateral hernia will be evident on physical examination, hernias without contraindications to bilateral TEP or TAPP
but a number of patients will have a contralateral occult repair, should bilateral repair be performed?
hernia at the time of initial presentation which may become
symptomatic later. Another patient subset will develop a
contralateral hernia de novo which may require repair at a
later date.

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