ABSTRACTBACKGROUND:It is known that elective inguinal hernioplasties are safe procedures, but in an emergency setting, they have higher rates of complications and hospital costs. Despite this, quantitative studies on the subject in Brazil are still scarce.AIMS:To evaluate the trend in hospitalization rates, hospital mortality, and costs for inguinal hernia in an emergency, regarding gender and age group.METHODS:This is a time series study with data from the Unified Health System (SUS), at the national level, from 2010 to 2019.RESULTS:The overall hospitalization rate (p=0.007; b<0,02) in all age groups (p<0.005; b<0) in both genders indicated a decreasing trend. The general mortality rate in both genders and in most age groups showed an increasing trend (p<0.005), as well as the cost of hospitalization in all age groups of both genders.CONCLUSIONS:Urgent hospitalization rates for inguinal hernia in Brazil have shown a steady or decreasing trend; however, hospital mortality and costs per hospitalization have demonstrated an increasing trend in recent years.