Inflammatory markers as predictors of severity in adult incarcerated groin hernias – a retrospective comparative study

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing incarcerated groin hernia and predicting its progression to strangulation remains challenging. This study investigates whether blood inflammatory markers can aid in diagnosing incarcerated groin hernias and assessing their severity. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent surgery for incarcerated groin hernia between 2018 and 2024. Preoperative blood tests were performed, and patients were categorized into bowel resection and non-resection groups. RESULTS: Among 203 patients, 78 required bowel resection. Significant differences were observed in hernia type, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, C-reactive protein, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and serum Sodium-ion levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: White blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein are effective diagnostic markers for incarcerated groin hernia. Combining these inflammatory markers provides a reliable method for predicting disease severity.