Incidence and clinical characteristics of occult inguinal hernias: a retrospective analysis of laparoscopic repair.

Background: Occult inguinal hernia is a unique clinical challenge characterized by asymptomatic presentation and the absence of detectable signs on physical examination, leading to frequent misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. The advancement of laparoscopic hernia surgery has facilitated the identification of occult hernias, yet effective diagnostic and predictive methods remain lacking.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the incidence and clinical characteristics of occult inguinal hernias detected during laparoscopic unilateral inguinal hernia repair and to provide evidence-based recommendations for their management.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 868 patients diagnosed preoperatively with unilateral inguinal hernia at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2013 and December 2020. All patients underwent laparoscopic hernia repair surgery, during which both sides of the inguinal area were explored for occult hernias. Statistical analysis, including univariate and multivariate logistic regression, was performed to identify significant predictors of occult hernias.

Results: Intraoperative detection of occult inguinal hernias was observed in 225 patients (25.92%). Patients with occult inguinal hernia had a higher median age of 68 (59, 76) years, compared to 63 (52, 73) years for those with unilateral inguinal hernia. The incidence was notably higher in females (34.61%) compared to males (25.37%). Stratified by hernia type, the prevalence of occult hernias was 23.84% among patients with indirect hernias (154/646) and 31.75% among those with direct hernias (60/189). Among the 225 patients with occult hernias, 129(57.33%) occult hernias cases occurred on the left side, and 142(63.11%) occult hernias cases were of the indirect type. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified female gender, high age, and the presence of high-risk factors for intra-abdominal hypertension as independent and significant predictors of occult hernia development.

Conclusion: Occult inguinal hernia remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. For older patients presenting with unilateral inguinal hernia and high-risk factors for intra-abdominal hypertension, we recommend TAPP exploration and simultaneous repair of contralateral occult hernias.