Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41085786›Full record

ArticleHernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery2025

Introducing autofluorescence technology for inguinal nerve visualization in open anterior hernia surgery: a step forward in surgical precision and safety.

Jorge Harraca, Rene Aleman, Marcelo Schor, Jose Ignacio Melgar, Flavio Marozzi, Solange Eichman

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Article in Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jorge HarracaDepartment of General Surgery, Rosario Private Hospital, Rosario, Argentina. DRHARRACA@GMAIL.COM.
Rene AlemanHeart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL, USA. ALEMANR2@CCF.ORG.ORCID 0000-0002-5571-2262
Marcelo SchorDepartment of General Surgery, Laprida Sanatorium, Rosario, Argentina.
Jose Ignacio MelgarDepartment of General Surgery, Laprida Sanatorium, Rosario, Argentina.
Flavio MarozziDepartment of General Surgery, Laprida Sanatorium, Rosario, Argentina.
Solange EichmanDepartment of General Surgery, Laprida Sanatorium, Rosario, Argentina.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeInjury to inguinal nerves remains a leading cause of chronic postoperative pain following anterior inguinal hernia repair. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of intraoperative neural autofluorescence using near-ultraviolet (NUV) imaging for real time identification of target nerves during open Lichtenstein hernioplasty and to assess its potential to reduce neuropathic complications.

methodsFive male patients with primary inguinal hernias and varying clinical profiles underwent open hernia repair with the adjunct use of NUV autofluorescence to enhance intraoperative nerve mapping. Operative time, intraoperative nerve visualization, and early postoperative outcomes were recorded. Patients were followed for sensory deficits, functional limitations, and chronic pain over 12 months.

resultsNeural autofluorescence enabled consistent and unambiguous identification of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric and genitofemoral nerves-including both genital and femoral branches-in all cases. The additional time required for nerve mapping was negligible. No intraoperative complications, postoperative morbidities, or readmissions were reported. At one-year follow-up, all patients were free from chronic groin pain, sensory compromise, or functional limitations.

conclusionsIntraoperative neural autofluorescence is a safe and technically feasible adjunct during open Lichtenstein repair, allowing for reliable nerve identification without altering surgical workflow. These preliminary findings suggest a potential role in reducing the risk of iatrogenic nerve injury and postoperative neuropathic pain. Further evaluation in larger, controlled studies is warranted to define its value in routine hernia surgery.

Indexed as

Hernia, InguinalHerniorrhaphyInguinal CanalOptical ImagingPeripheral Nerve InjuriesAdultAgedFeasibility StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedOperative TimePostoperative PainInguinal herniaNerve autofluorescenceNerve-sparing surgeryOpen hernia repairSurgical innovationSurgical precision

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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.