Every Twentieth Man After Removal Of An Inguinal Hernia Is Faced With Sexual Dysfunction

Every twentieth man after removal of an inguinal hernia is faced with sexual dysfunction

After surgery for an inguinal hernia, patients may experience sexual dysfunction or pain during intercourse. Scientists have calculated how often they occur with different types of treatment.

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After surgery for an inguinal hernia, patients may experience sexual dysfunction or pain during intercourse. Scientists have calculated how often they occur with different types of treatment. They published their review in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

American scientists analyzed data from 12 previous studies, which involved 4884 men who were operated on for an inguinal hernia. The authors found that after surgery, 5.3% of men developed sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction or difficulty with ejaculation), and 9% developed pain during sexual activity.

“At the very least, temporary sexual dysfunction and pain during sexual activity as a result of removal of an inguinal hernia in men is not very common, but also not so rare. Surgeons and hernia patients need to find ways to openly and frankly discuss sexual health as part of the preoperative assessment and follow-up after surgery,”said senior study author David Soybel.

After minimally invasive procedures (laparoscopy), sexual dysfunction was observed in 7.8% of patients, and painful sexual activity - in 7.4%. In open operations - in 3.7% and 12.5% ​​of patients, respectively.

The observation period in the studies was no more than 11 months, so they cannot answer how persistent these disorders can be after surgery.

The researchers explain that problems can arise from postoperative scarring. In addition, in both open surgery and laparoscopy, the nerves that provide sensitivity to the skin of the groin, scrotum, and penis are in the surgical site and may be at risk of pinching (causing pain) or disruption (causing numbness).

Scientists also suggest that in some patients, sexual dysfunction or pain during sexual activity may have resulted from the hernia itself, rather than the procedure to eliminate it.