Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) is a major complication after hernia repairs in adults. However, little is known about CPIP in children. METHODS: Charts of 855 children with an average age of 3.7 years (range, 0-18 years) who underwent laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) between April 2016 and December 2023 were reviewed. Pain after one postoperative month (PIP: postoperative inguinal pain) was the primary outcome measure. Of these, pain lasting more than three months was extracted as CPIP. RESULTS: Nine children (1.1%, four males and five females) complained of PIP. All four males, having undergone LPEC before puberty, had temporary pain. Among four females with PIP, CPIP occurred in three (0.35%), who were effectively treated with psychiatric approaches in two and by a reoperation to release the round ligament in one. CONCLUSIONS: CPIP was rare after LPEC in children. Adolescent females were at greater risk of CPIP than younger males. Round ligament pain was the cause in one case. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the institutional review board of Aichi Medical University (approval number: 2023 - 241).