Multiple mechanisms are responsible for persistent postherniotomy pain, including preoperative pain hypersensitivity, other chronic pain states and intraoperative nerve injury. Currently, the primary preventive techniques are intraoperative nerve identification/sparing in open surgery or use of laparoscopic surgery with non-fixed mesh. The choice between pharmacological intervention and re-exploration is debatable. A centralisation of the Danish patients with regard to evaluation and treatment is proposed.