Evolving Inguinal Hernia Repair Practice at the Veterans Health Administration

How have volume and surgical approach to inguinal hernia repair (IHR) in veterans changed within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) over the last 20 years?This cohort study involving 308 876 veterans (2002 to 2022) found that IHR volume increased nearly 50%, with minimally invasive approaches increasing from 9% to 41%. Community-based procedures were more often urgent/emergent, and female veterans had higher rates of minimally invasive surgery and urgent repairs.These results highlight significant growth in IHR volume and a shift toward minimally invasive approaches in the VHA, illustrating evolving technical practice and veterans’ surgical needs, providing data to inform policy and resource allocation.

Corresponding Author: Emma Bradley, MD, MPH, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Medical Center North, Ste CCC-4312, 1161 21st Ave South, Nashville, TN 37232-2730 (emma.bradley@vumc.org).

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.