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Male infertility after mesh hernia repair: A prospective study.

Hallén, Magnus ; Sandblom, Gabriel LU ; Nordin, Pär ; Gunnarsson, Ulf ; Kvist, Ulrik and Westerdahl, Johan LU (2011) In Surgery 149(2). p.179-184
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Several animal studies have raised concern about the risk for obstructive azoospermia owing to vasal fibrosis caused by the use of alloplastic mesh prosthesis in inguinal hernia repair. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of male infertility after bilateral mesh repair. METHODS: In a prospective study, a questionnaire inquiring about involuntary childlessness, investigation for infertility and number of children was sent by mail to a group of 376 men aged 18-55 years, who had undergone bilateral mesh repair, identified in the Swedish Hernia Register (SHR). Questionnaires were also sent to 2 control groups, 1 consisting of 186 men from the SHR who had undergone bilateral repair without mesh, and 1 consisting of... (More)
BACKGROUND: Several animal studies have raised concern about the risk for obstructive azoospermia owing to vasal fibrosis caused by the use of alloplastic mesh prosthesis in inguinal hernia repair. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of male infertility after bilateral mesh repair. METHODS: In a prospective study, a questionnaire inquiring about involuntary childlessness, investigation for infertility and number of children was sent by mail to a group of 376 men aged 18-55 years, who had undergone bilateral mesh repair, identified in the Swedish Hernia Register (SHR). Questionnaires were also sent to 2 control groups, 1 consisting of 186 men from the SHR who had undergone bilateral repair without mesh, and 1 consisting of 383 men identified in the general population. The control group from the SHR was matched 2:1 for age and years elapsed since operation. The control group from the general population was matched 1:1 for age and marital status. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 525 of 945 (56%). Method of approach (anterior or posterior), type of mesh, and testicular status at the time of the repair had no significant impact on the answers to the questions. Nor did subgroup analysis of the men </=40 years old reveal any significant differences. CONCLUSION: The results of this prospective study in men do not support the hypothesis that bilateral inguinal hernia repair with alloplastic mesh prosthesis causes male infertility at a significantly greater rate than those operated without mesh. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Surgical Mesh/ adverse effects, Prospective Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Postoperative Complications/ etiology, Male/ etiology, Infertility, Humans, Inguinal/ surgery
in
Surgery
volume
149
issue
2
pages
179 - 184
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000286713200005
  • pmid:20542309
  • scopus:78751575729
  • pmid:20542309
ISSN
1532-7361
DOI
10.1016/j.surg.2010.04.027
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
81045eef-4259-4659-a969-8160b48e3187 (old id 1626159)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20542309?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:07:46
date last changed
2022-02-28 06:32:16
@article{81045eef-4259-4659-a969-8160b48e3187,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Several animal studies have raised concern about the risk for obstructive azoospermia owing to vasal fibrosis caused by the use of alloplastic mesh prosthesis in inguinal hernia repair. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of male infertility after bilateral mesh repair. METHODS: In a prospective study, a questionnaire inquiring about involuntary childlessness, investigation for infertility and number of children was sent by mail to a group of 376 men aged 18-55 years, who had undergone bilateral mesh repair, identified in the Swedish Hernia Register (SHR). Questionnaires were also sent to 2 control groups, 1 consisting of 186 men from the SHR who had undergone bilateral repair without mesh, and 1 consisting of 383 men identified in the general population. The control group from the SHR was matched 2:1 for age and years elapsed since operation. The control group from the general population was matched 1:1 for age and marital status. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 525 of 945 (56%). Method of approach (anterior or posterior), type of mesh, and testicular status at the time of the repair had no significant impact on the answers to the questions. Nor did subgroup analysis of the men &lt;/=40 years old reveal any significant differences. CONCLUSION: The results of this prospective study in men do not support the hypothesis that bilateral inguinal hernia repair with alloplastic mesh prosthesis causes male infertility at a significantly greater rate than those operated without mesh.}},
  author       = {{Hallén, Magnus and Sandblom, Gabriel and Nordin, Pär and Gunnarsson, Ulf and Kvist, Ulrik and Westerdahl, Johan}},
  issn         = {{1532-7361}},
  keywords     = {{Surgical Mesh/ adverse effects; Prospective Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications/ etiology; Male/ etiology; Infertility; Humans; Inguinal/ surgery}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{179--184}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Surgery}},
  title        = {{Male infertility after mesh hernia repair: A prospective study.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5239374/1637772.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.surg.2010.04.027}},
  volume       = {{149}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}