What we looked at and why

SHTG recommendation

In response to enquiry from the Scottish Government

What were we asked to look at

SHTG was asked by the Scottish Government to explore a series of questions relating to the use of surgical mesh in the elective repair of abdominal and groin hernias in all adults. The research questions included a series of comparisons: mesh versus suture repair, laparoscopic versus open repair, and synthetic mesh versus biological mesh. We were also asked to compare mesh fixation techniques, to assess potential sex-specific differences in outcomes, and to explore patient experiences. Primary ventral hernias, incisional ventral hernias, umbilical hernias, inguinal hernias, and femoral hernias, were selected as being representative of the majority of hernias treated in NHSScotland.

Why is this important

The use of surgical mesh has become an important topic in the last few years following women’s experiences of severe, chronic pain after mesh was used to treat pelvic organ prolapse. Hernia repairs are one of the most common surgical procedures performed globally, with an estimated 20 million hernia repair procedures each year. Following the impact on women of using mesh for prolapse repair, there is a need to consider the evidence in relation to using mesh to repair hernias in both men and women.