Inguinal nerve identification during open inguinal hernia repair is associated with less chronic postoperative pain. However, most Dutch surgeons do not identify all three inguinal nerves when carrying out this procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a nerve-recognizing Lichtenstein hernia repair and to measure the extra time required for surgeryForty patients with primary inguinal hernia were operated on following the nerve-recognizing Lichtenstein hernia repair by four experienced hernia surgeons from four different Dutch teaching hospitals. The additional time needed to identify each individual nerve was recorded, and iatrogenic nerve injuries and anatomical characteristics were registered.Identification of the iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves was each...