[Inguinal pain without inguinal hernia: what could it be?].

A number of unusual conditions was diagnosed in 6 patients with inguinal pain. A 30-year-old man had iliopectineal bursitis on the right as well as a recurrent left inguinal hernia; many years after a Pfannenstiel incision a woman aged 57 harboured an entrapment of the ilioinguinal nerve; a 26-year-old woman suffered from endometriosis in the round ligament; a man aged 65 had compression of the genitofemoral nerve caused by a left iliac aneurysm; a woman aged 38 demonstrated symptoms of an anterior snapping hip; and a man aged 42 had retroperitoneal compression of nerves caused by a sarcoma. All recovered following appropriate treatment. Knowledge of a variety of clinical entities with associated specific anamnesis and physical examination will lead to a correct diagnosis and treatment in most cases of inguinal pain. In instances of compression, imaging techniques may facilitate the diagnostic work-up.