Incidence of inguinal hernia and repair procedures and rate of subsequent pain diagnoses, active component service members, U.S. armed forces, 2010–2019

An inguinal hernia occurs when an internal organ protrudes through a tear or weak spot in the abdominal muscles. Among U.S. military service members, inguinal hernia is the fourth most prevalent digestive condition in terms of individuals affected and number of medical encounters. This study found that the overall incidence of inguinal hernia diagnoses between 2010 and 2019 among U.S. active component service members was 34.3 per 10,000 person-years. Older service members, males, non-Hispanic whites, and those in combat-specific occupations had comparatively higher incidence rates. Among the 44,898 incident inguinal hernia diagnoses during the surveillance period, 22,349 were followed by an open or laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair procedure. Of these, 12,210 (54.6%) were open and 10,139 (45.4%) were laparoscopic. Among the 22,349 inguinal hernia repair procedures, 6,276 (28.1%) were followed by pain diagnoses within 1 year after the repair procedures. Although the incidence of inguinal hernia diagnoses among active component service members decreased modestly during the surveillance period, the rate of hernia repair peaked in 2013, and the frequency of diagnoses of pain following hernia repair increased between 2010 and 2019.