The Japanese Hernia Society (JHS) Guidelines for Adult Groin Hernia Management 2024

ABSTRACT

Groin hernia is a common surgical condition. The Japanese Hernia Society (JHS) Guidelines for Groin Hernia Management 2024 were developed to reflect both international evidence and the realities of clinical practice in Japan. This article is an authorized English translation of a summary of the adult section of the JHS Guidelines for Groin Hernia Management 2024, presenting key clinical questions, recommendations, and concise explanations for an international readership. It covers diagnosis, classification, surgical indications, operative approaches, mesh and fixation, anesthesia, chronic postoperative inguinal pain, recurrent and emergency hernia, training, cost‐effectiveness, and registry‐based outcome assessment; relevant differences from the international HerniaSurge guidelines are discussed. Laparoscopic repair is favored in selected patients when performed by experienced surgeons, particularly for pain reduction and early recovery, whereas open anterior mesh repair remains appropriate when general anesthesia or laparoscopy is unsuitable. For femoral hernia, chronic pain management, recurrent hernia, and incarcerated or strangulated hernia, evidence remains limited, leading to cautious or conditional recommendations.