Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery
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The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of inguinal hernia development is unclear. To explore the relationship, we determined whether the incidence of inguinal hernia repairs (IHR) varied across patients with different BMI categories. ⋯ The incidence of IHR decreased as BMI increased. Obese and morbidly obese patients had a lower incidence of IHR than those who were normal weight or overweight. The causal mechanisms leading to such a relationship are unclear and warrant further study.
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Comparative Study
Patient classification and hospital reimbursement for inguinal hernia repair: a comparison across 11 European countries.
This comparative study examines the categorisation of patients undergoing surgical repair of inguinal hernia in the diagnosis-related group (DRG) systems of 11 European countries (Austria, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden). Understanding the design and operation of DRG systems for this common surgical procedure is important, given their increasing use internationally for hospital reimbursement and performance measurement. ⋯ The categorisation of inguinal hernia patients varies across the 11 European DRG systems under study. By highlighting the main differences across these systems, this comparative analysis allows the relevant decision makers to assess the adequacy and specificity of their own DRG systems.