Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32910297›Full record

SynthesisHernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery2021

Watchful waiting vs repair for asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia in men: a systematic review.

Hugin Reistrup, Siv Fonnes, Jacob Rosenberg

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
5.5field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Article
  6. Groin hernia.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2025
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Laparoscopic iliopubic tract repair for asymptomatic contralateral occult inguinal hernia.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2024
    Article
  12. The best strategy for the management of inguinodynia is prevention.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2023
    Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. No Reason to Use Mesh in Groin Hernia Repair in Adolescents.Journal of abdominal wall surgery : JAWS · 2023
    Review
  19. Randomized controlled trials in surgery for inguinal hernias.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2022
    Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Hugin ReistrupDepartment of Surgery, Herlev Hospital, Center for Perioperative Optimization, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 1, 2730, Herlev, Denmark. hugin.reistrup@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-6247-0057
Siv FonnesDepartment of Surgery, Herlev Hospital, Center for Perioperative Optimization, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 1, 2730, Herlev, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-8757-831X
Jacob RosenbergDepartment of Surgery, Herlev Hospital, Center for Perioperative Optimization, University of Copenhagen, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 1, 2730, Herlev, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-0063-1086
University of Copenhagen · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeOne-third of patients presenting with inguinal hernia are asymptomatic and the best treatment for these patients is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of applying a watchful waiting strategy for asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia in men.

methodsPubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to May 14, 2020. Included were all types of original data written in English, German, Danish, Swedish, or Norwegian involving ≥ 5 male patients aged ≥ 18 years old with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia and undergoing watchful waiting. This review was reported according to the PRISMA guideline.

resultsA total of nine studies were included; three randomized controlled trials, three prospective cohort studies, and three retrospective cohort studies. Data on a total of 858 unique patients following a watchful waiting strategy were included. Approximately one-third of patients crossed over from watchful waiting to surgery after 3 years increasing to more than two-thirds after 10 years. The most frequent reason for crossover was hernia-related pain (median 79%, range 48-91%). The rate of acute hernia-related operations was low (2-3%), and watchful waiting was not associated with increased mortality or postoperative complications. Levels of pain and discomfort after randomization were similar over time between patients undergoing elective repair or watchful waiting.

conclusionApplying a watchful waiting strategy to men with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic inguinal hernia was safe, but two-thirds of patients crossed over to surgical repair within 10 years mainly due to pain.

Indexed as

Hernia, InguinalAdolescentHerniorrhaphyHumansMaleProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesWatchful WaitingAsymptomaticConservative treatmentInguinal herniaPainSystematic reviewWatchful waiting

Identifiers

PMID32910297
OpenAlexW3086903469

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.