Groin hernia surgery in women : outputs, factors, methods and cost-effectiveness

There is inequity in access to surgical treatment and quality of care globally and this is more pronounced in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) especially among women. Prioritizing treatment of common surgical conditions like groin hernias in LMICs would improve this aspect.

Aims. The present aims were to assess groin hernia surgery outputs and practices in Uganda, to evaluate the relationship between parity and the incidence rate of groin hernia repair among women born in Sweden between 1956 and 1983, to compare the safety and effectiveness of open anterior mesh repair for groin hernia in adult women in Uganda to modified open anterior mesh repair through which both the inguinal and the femoral canal can be accessed and covered with a mesh flap. A further aim was to assess the cost and cost-effectiveness of the open anterior mesh repair in comparison to the modified open anterior mesh repair.

Methods. Studies I, III and IV were carried out in Uganda. Study II was carried out in Sweden. Study I was a hospital-based observational study to retrospectively review theatre records for groin hernia repairs in 2013 and 2014, and a questionnaire interview for the surgical providers. Study II was a population-based cohort study among women born in Sweden between 1956 and 1983 in which the Swedish Hernia Register, and the National Medical Birth Register were cross- matched to identify groin hernia repairs after childbirth. The follow up period was until 31st December 2022. Incidence rates and incidence rate ratios for inguinal and femoral hernia repairs were determined. Study III was a double- blinded randomized controlled trial among adult women in Uganda in which the safety and effectiveness of open anterior mesh repair were compared with those of modified open anterior mesh repair. Study IV was a cost-effectiveness study of the trial in Study III to compare the cost and cost-effectiveness of the two groin hernia repair methods.

Results. Study I, found that 5518 groin hernia repairs were performed in 2013 and 2014, with an annual repair rate of 7/100, 000 population. Most of the repairs were performed by non- specialized surgeons using suture techniques and almost 16% of the repairs were performed in women. In Study II, the mean incidence of inguinal hernia repair was 10.7 per 100,000 person-year and 2.6 per 100,000 person-year for femoral hernia repairs. The incidence rate and the incidence rate ratios for both inguinal and femoral hernia repairs increased with the number of births. In Study III, altogether, 200 participants were included. Nearly 45% had a femoral hernia. At one-year follow-up, overall recurrence was 5.6% and overall wound complications at two weeks follow-up were 10.1%. In Study IV, the cost per DALY averted in the open anterior mesh repair was 292.0 (SD, 264.4) USD compared to 328.8 (SD, 284.2) USD in the modified open anterior mesh repair.

In conclusion, groin hernia repair outputs in Uganda need to improve along with mesh-based methods. High parity levels may increase the risk of groin hernias. Opening of the transversalis fascia to inspect the femoral canal should be routinely done among women to detect femoral hernias. The modified open anterior mesh repair is an option to treat inguinal and femoral hernias in the absence of laparoscopy. While the open anterior mesh repair and its modified version are cost-effective, their application should depend on patient needs. However, the high possibility of femoral hernias among women in the study setting, calls for promotion of the modified open anterior mesh method.

List of scientific papers

I. Groin hernia Surgery in Uganda. Caseload and Practices at Hospitals Operating Within the Publicly Funded Health Care Sector. Alphonsus Matovu, Pär Nordin, Andreas Wladis, Mary Margaret Ajiko, Jenny Löfgren. World J.Surg (2020) 44:3277-3283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-020-05633-9

II. Incidence of groin hernia repairs in women and parity. A population - based cohort study among women born in Sweden between 1956 and 1983. A. Matovu, J. Lofgren, A. Wladis, P. Nordin, G. Sandblom, H.J. Pettersson. Hernia (2024) 28:1231-1238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-024-03011-1

III. Open anterior mesh repair versus modified open anterior mesh repair for groin hernia in women. A randomized clinical trial. Alphonsus Matovu, Par Nordin, Andreas Wladis, Gabriel Sandblom, Moses Elaju, Fredrik Lindmark, Olof Bladin, Jenny Löfgren. [Manuscript]

IV. Cost-effectiveness of open anterior mesh repair compared to modified open anterior mesh repair for groin hernia repair in women in a low resource setting. A randomized clinical trial. Alphonsus Matovu, Zin Min Thet Lwin, Geoffrey Okello, Francis Lulu, Gabriel Sandblom, Moses Elaju, Olof Bladin, Filip Westling, Andreas Wladis, Pär Nordin, Jenny Löfgren. [Manuscript]