The most common nerve damaged during open hernia repair -

Ans. is 'a' i.e., Ilioinguinal nerve o All the three nerves ie genifotemoral, ilioinguinal & iliohypogastric are branches of the lumbar plexus and all may be injured in op. for hernia.Ilioinguinal-Nerveo Enters the inguinal canal by piercing the internal oblique muscle (not through the deep ring),o It then emerges from the superficial inguinal ring to supply skin of:Proximomedial skin of the thigh.Skin over the penile root.Upper part of the scrotumIliohypogastric nerveso Divides into two branches - lateral cutaneous and anterior cutaneous,o Lateral cutaneous supplies - posterolateral gluieal skino Anterior cutaneous supplies - suprapubic skinGenitofemoral nerveo Divides into two branches :GenitalFemoralo Genital br of Genitofemoral nerve - enters the inguinal canal at its deep ring and suppliesThe CremasterThe scrotal skino Femoral br of genitofemoral nervePasses behind the inguinal ligament, enters the femoral sheath lateral to femoral artery; pierces the ant layer of the femoral sheath and fascia lata and supplies the skin anterior to the upper part of femoral triangle.o From these descriptions it is obvious that the nerve likely to be injured is ilioinguinal nerve.