Reply To: Watchful-genitofemoral nerve
Chuck,
I’m just a patient who has done a lot of research.
The reason for cutting the genital nerve branch in the original Shouldice is that it simply has to be done if the entire cremaster is cut. If you cut through the whole thing, then the nerve and vessels that go with it have to be taken with it. Not all surgeons who perform Shouldice cut the entire cremaster (or they decide on a case-by-case basis). In the Muschaweck sport hernia repair, the nerve is cut for a different reason which is to eliminate pain which supposedly comes from this nerve in these particular sport hernias (at least that’s my understanding).
I have made up my mind, and my surgery is about to be done. I’ll send an update soon.
Note that there is no “right” or “wrong” choice here. The most important thing is to get one of the best surgeons for the selected procedure. I think maybe you researched the techniques more than the surgeons when you had your original surgery done. Beyond choosing the best surgeon, it’s just a question of which risks you are more comfortable with, and that’s pretty subjective. For example, avoiding general anesthesia is a pretty high priority for me, but others may care more about something else.
Stay tuned…
