The role of inguinal innervation recognition in preventing postoperative inguninodynia during laparoscopic hernia repair

This study is a systematic review on the importance of anatomical recognition of inguinal innervation in the prevention of post-herniorrhaphy inguinodynia during laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Chronic pain in the inguinal region, often resulting from injuries to the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, and genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve, constitutes a common and challenging complication. The objective was to evaluate whether the proper identification of these structures during surgery can reduce the incidence of postoperative chronic pain. The methodology adhered to PRISMA guidelines, involving searches in databases such as PubMed, BVS, and Google Scholar from 2017 to 2025, selecting relevant articles in Portuguese and English. The results indicated that precise anatomical recognition, combined with surgeon expertise and proper documentation of nerve management, significantly decreases rates of inguinodynia. The discussion emphasizes that prevention, through an in-depth understanding of nerve topography, is the most effective strategy. It is concluded that the implementation of standardized surgical protocols, with an emphasis on nerve preservation, can reduce the incidence of chronic pain and improve the quality of life of patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.