Lichtenstein versus Onstep for inguinal hernia repair: protocol for a double-blinded randomised trial

Inguinal hernia is a common condition that affects millions of people world-wide every year. In Denmark (population of 5.5 million), more than 10,000 repairs of inguinal hernias are performed annually. The optimal surgical procedure for mesh placement and fixation is still being debated because of long-term complications such as persisting pain and impairment of sexual function. The Onstep approach is a newer type of groin hernia repair with promising preliminary results in terms of very few cases of chronic pain and recurrences. This protocol describes a randomised clinical trial the objective of which is to evaluate chronic pain and sexual dysfunction after inguinal hernia repair using the Lichtenstein repair compared with the Onstep approach.