Femoral Nerve Paralysis Following Open Inguinal Hernia Repair

Abstract

Open inguinal hernia repair remains the gold standard to treat inguinal hernias and is associated with a low recurrence and complication rate [1,2,3,4]. The majority of inguinal hernia repairs are completed on an outpatient basis. Local, spinal, epidural, and general endotracheal anesthesia are used depending on patient comorbidities and surgeon preference. Overall, patient recovery is relatively quick and patients return to their normal activities in approximately four weeks. Complications may include hematoma, seroma, chronic groin pain, surgical site infection, and injury to adjacent organs. Femoral nerve injury may occur but is an exceedingly rare event following an open inguinal hernia repair. This manuscript details a patient with a transient sensorimotor paralysis of the femoral nerve following an open inguinal hernia repair. Various etiologies are discussed along with a review of the literature.