A narrative review on the non-surgical treatment of chronic postoperative inguinal pain: a challenge for both surgeon and anaesthesiologist

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pain is one of the most frequent clinical problems after inguinal hernia surgery. Despite more than two decades of research and numerous publications, no evidence exists to allow for chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) specific treatment algorithms.

METHODS: This narrative review presents the current knowledge of the non-surgical management of CPIP and makes suggestions for daily practice.

RESULTS: There is a paucity for high-level evidence of non-surgical options for CPIP. Different treatment options and algorithms have been published for chronic pain patients in the last decades.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It is suggested that non-surgical treatment is introduced in the management of all CPIP patients. The overall approach to interventions should be pragmatic, tiered and multi-interventional, starting with least invasive and only moving to more invasive procedures upon lack of effect. Evaluation should be multidisciplinary and should take place in specialized centres. We strongly suggest to follow general guidelines for treatment of persistent pain and to build a database allowing for establishing CPIP specific evidence for optimal analgesic treatments.