Prolene Hernia System Maximum Repair: A New Concept in Sports Hernia Surgery

Abstract

Objective: To describe and present the clinical results of a new surgical treatment for sports hernia. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Tertiary hospital. Patients: Athletes who underwent sports hernia repair using the proposed technique between July 2006 and June 2020. Intervention: The surgery consists of a combination of a mini-open incision and preperitoneal placement of a three-dimensional bilayer permanent mesh (PHS). Main outcome Measures: The main clinical outcomes of the procedure were reviewed, including incidence of complications, long-term results, and recurrence rate. Results: Ninety-two sports hernia repairs were performed on 87 patients (79 male and 8 female patients, median age 30.2 ± 7.8 years). No intraoperative complications were observed. The mean follow-up was 15 months. Seventy-seven patients (88.5%) successfully resumed preinjury physical activities within 8 weeks; 80 patients (91.9%) within 12 weeks; and 83 (95.4%) within 6 months (median time of 10 weeks). Only one patient reported recurrence of symptoms. Conclusion: Mini-open incision PHS repair seems to be a safe and effective method for treatment of sports hernia, resulting in early return to physical activities, with few complications, and low recurrence rate.