Welcome to NeuroTalk:

Sometimes it helps to have a picture:

http://www.anatomyatlases.org/atlaso...scnerves.shtml

The right leg of the model (which is on the left of the drawing)
shows the Lateral Femoral Nerve coming down the leg from the abdomen-- it branches out and some of the muscle has been cut away to show. The inguinal canal contains the red and blue arteries and veins...The lateral femoral nerve does not come out the inguinal canal.

I'd imagine there is quite a bit of scar tissue in the groin area from your 4 surgeries and there are other nerves that exit all along the way...as shown on the left leg.

MP is often used to describe other pains, and you are not specific in describing the path your pain takes. But in general for MP that is compressed as the nerve exits the abdomen, that is where to put the Lidoderm patch. (not further down the thigh). That is also the location for a very strong magnet. I suggest you look at the MP forum and read the posts there for more details and links.

True MP does not affect muscle function or strength and is only a sensory nerve. It arises in the spinal area at the L4 -L5 area and its origin varies anatomically from genetic inheritance.
A patch at this location on the side the MP is located along the spine where L4 and L5 are, may help too. But for me the groin placement worked the best.

Wearing tight clothing, tight jeans, tight belts or having a wallet in the back pocket on that side, may also trigger MP.

I found heat to be a definite trigger, and avoid now all the time. Heat tends to stimulate that sensory nerve.