The sensitivity of ultrasound in the clinical diagnosis of inguinal hernias in adults: a comparative study

Objective Ultrasonography (US) is a non-invasive, non-ionizing radiation modality highly successful at diagnosing inguinal hernia. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the accuracy of ultrasound in evaluating defects of fascia in inguinal hernias and compare with surgical findings. Material and methods A total of 33 patients with a sonographic diagnosis of an inguinal hernia are included to study. After US, all patients underwent a blinded surgery and the surgical findings are compared with the US results. Results The sensitivity of US was found to be 100% and 80% for indirect and direct types, respectively. The mean size of the defect was found to be 22 mm (max: 70 mm, min: 6 mm) with US; and 27 mm (max: 50 mm, min: 4 mm) at surgery. The size of defects at US and in surgery were correlated with each other (p = 0.001).