Comparative analysis of reintervention rates in mesh versus no-mesh inguinal hernia repair using electronic health records

PURPOSE: Inguinal hernias are common surgical conditions requiring repair. Mesh reinforcement is widely used to reduce recurrence, but claims data often lack mesh usage and surgical technique information. This study evaluates the impact of mesh use and procedural and device characteristics on inguinal hernia repair reinterventions using clinical notes from electronic health records (EHR). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among adult patients who underwent inguinal hernia repair between October 2015 and September 2023 with 1-year follow-up. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of reintervention. RESULTS: There were 1598 patients with 1154 (72.22%) receiving mesh and 444 (27.78%) undergoing no-mesh repairs. 42 patients (2.63%) required reintervention, with 2.34% and 3.38% in the mesh and no mesh group respectively (p = 0.38). Adjusted analyses showed no significant difference in reintervention rates (OR: 0.71, p = 0.32). CONCLUSION: Mesh use in inguinal hernia repair was associated with a lower reintervention rate, though not statistically significant.