Herniography in patients with clinically suggested recurrence of inguinal hernia.

In order to assess the diagnostic effectiveness of herniography in patients with pain in the groin, 49 patients who had been operated upon earlier for inguinal or related hernias in the groin were examined. The patients' history suggested the presence of recurrent hernia but physical examination was inconclusive. In 17 patients herniography revealed one or two hernias on the side of the symptoms: 2 indirect hernias, 9 direct hernias, 1 with both direct and indirect hernias, 1 with a combined hernia, and 4 femoral hernias. An incisional hernia was detected in 2 patients. Eleven of the 17 patients were operated upon. The results indicate that herniography is valuable in the follow-up of patients with possible recurrent inguinal hernia.