Background: Chronic groin pain, especially in professional sportsmen, is a difficult clinical problem. Methods: From January 1999 to August 2005, 55 professional and semiprofessional sportsmen (53 males; mean age, 25 ± 4.5 years; range, 17-36 years) with undiagnosed chronic groin pain were followed prospectively. All the patients underwent an endoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) mesh placement. Results: Incipient hernia was diagnosed in the study athletes: 15 on the right side (27%), 12 on the left side (22%), and 9 bilaterally (16%). In 20 patients (36%), an inguinal hernia was found: 3 direct inguinal hernias (5%) and 17 indirect hernias (31%). All the athletes returned to their normal sports level within 3 months after the operation. Conclusions: A TEP repair must be proposed to patients with prolonged groin pain unresponsive to conservative treatment. If no clear pathology is identified, reinforcement of the wall using a mesh offers good clinical results for athletes with idiopathic groin pain.

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doi.org/10.1007/s00464-005-0781-6, hdl.handle.net/1765/36509
Surgical Endoscopy: surgical and interventional techniques
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

van Veen, R., de Baat, P., Heijboer, R., Kazemier, G., Punt, B., Dwarkasing, R., … van Eijck, C. (2007). Successful endoscopic treatment of chronic groin pain in athletes. Surgical Endoscopy: surgical and interventional techniques, 21(2), 189–193. doi:10.1007/s00464-005-0781-6