Influence of clinical examination and groin ultrasonography findings on surgical decision-making
| Scenario | No. (%) of groins n = 476 |
|---|---|
| Underwent inguinal hernia repair (S+) | 315 (66.2) |
| Clinically detectable hernia leading to surgery (CE+, S+) (n = 364) | 310 (85.2) |
| Hernia detected by routine US leading to surgery (independent of CE findings) (CE+/−, US+, S+) (n = 310) | 202 (65.2) |
| Clinical examination significantly affected decision to treat surgically (CE +/−, S+/−) | 390 (81.9) |
| Positive US findings leading to surgery in absence of positive CE findings (CE−, US+, S+) (n = 103) | 5 (4.8) |
| Routine US significantly affected decision to treat surgically (US+, S+) (n = 336) | 5 (1.5) |
CE = clinical examination; S = surgery; US = ultrasonography.