To systematically evaluate the risk factors for seroma in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery, and to provide a basis for improving disease surveillance.

Comprehensively searched CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, CBM, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Medline and Web of Science from the beginning of the database establishment to December 2024 to collect the literatures about the risk factors of seroma in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery, including cross-sectional studies, cohort studies and case-control studies. Two researchers independently checked and screened the literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and conducted quality evaluation and data extraction on the included literature. Meta-analysis of the data was conducted using Revman 5.4.

A total of 21 literatures were included, with a total sample size of 5739 cases. The meta-analysis results showed that: high body mass index (OR=1.35, 95% CI 1.07-1.71), course of disease (OR=2.69, 95% CI 1.82-3.97), comorbid underlying diseases (OR=2.44, 95% CI 1.44-4.14), preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio>2 (OR=2.24, 95% CI 1.83-2.74), long-term use of anticoagulants (OR=2.35, 95% CI 1.51-3.66), direct hernia (OR=2.74, 95% CI 1.72-4.36), hernia sac diameter (OR=2.80, 95% CI 1.93-4.04), hernia type III/IV (OR=2.08, 95% CI 1.70-2.54), scrotal hernia (OR=7.39, 95% CI 3.13-17.43), surgical method of laparoscopic totally extra-peritoneal hernia repair (OR=2.87, 95% CI 1.28-6.45), surgical time (OR=1.17, 95% CI 1.03-1.33), intraoperative bleeding>10 ml (OR=2.76, 95% CI 2.03-3.74), mesh type (OR=3.21, 95% CI 2.05-5.02) and surgeon experience (OR=2.83, 95% CI 1.77-4.55) are risk factors for seroma in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery (P<0.05).

There are many risk factors for seroma in patients after inguinal hernia repair surgery. To actively prevent the occurrence and development of seroma, a comprehensive evaluation of the patient should be conducted before surgery, appropriate surgical methods should be selected, precise intraoperative procedures should be performed, wound damage should be reduced, and hernia sac should be disposed of reasonably.