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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Reconstr Microsurg Open 2021; 06(02): e70-e78
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736421
Original Article

Use of Groin Neurectomies for Noniatrogenic Testicular and Groin Pain

Sanchit Sachdeva
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
,
Avneesh Chhabra
2   Musculoskeletal Radiology Division, Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
,
Joan Reisch
3   Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
,
Shai M. Rozen
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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Abstract

Background Chronic groin neuralgia is a life-debilitating condition that plagues patients worldwide. While groin neuralgia is usually traced to iatrogenic causes (inguinal hernia repairs, vasectomy, and hysterectomy), there is a unique subset of patients that present with noniatrogenic groin neuralgia. The diagnosis and treatment of these patients present a particular challenge.

Methods A total of 30 patients (current mean age, 46.5 [range: 19–72] years) who presented with noniatrogenic groin neuralgia and received neurectomies on the iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, and genitofemoral nerves between 2008 and 2017 were identified. A retrospective review of preoperative and immediate postoperative pain scores was compared with prospectively collected current pain on a Likert's scale (0–10). Additionally, patients were asked to complete a Short Form (SF)-20 and identify current pain medications. A two-sided Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was used to analyze the data.

Results Of the 30 patients identified, 16 could participate (mean follow-up = 61 months). The average pain reduction for the entire group was 62.7%. When using an established 30% reduction pain as a marker for clinical significance, 12 successful and 4 unsuccessful patients had an average reduction of 81.1 and 7.68%, respectively (success rate of 75%). Patients with successful group showed a statistically significant increased social functioning (p = 0.012) and near-significant increase in mental health (p = 0.063). Improvements, albeit nonsignificant, in mean scaled scores for every other SF-20 quality of life (QoL) category were observed when comparing both groups.

Conclusion Neurectomy is a potentially beneficial surgery that can assuage pain and improve quality of life for patients with noniatrogenic groin neuralgia.

Keywords

noniatrogenic - groin neuralgia - neurectomy - quality of life


Publication History

Received: 28 March 2021

Accepted: 02 August 2021

Article published online:
18 October 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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