Minimally Invasive Surgery for Inguinal Hernia: From Implementation in a Service to Residents' Formation

Abstract Background Inguinal hernia surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures by surgeons and is a crucial part of a surgeon's training process. Implementing minimally invasive hernia surgery in the training of surgical residents can be a challenging process. Our aim is to retrospective review and analyze the evolution and results of minimally invasive surgery for inguinal hernia performed by both residents and more experienced surgeons. Method Retrospective analysis of patients operated using the TAPP and TEP techniques for inguinal hernias. Descriptive analysis of the evolution over the years and a comparison of outcomes. Results An average of 655 inguinal hernias were operated on per year. The percentage of minimally invasive surgeries grew from 0.9% in 2018 to 25% in 2022. The rate of any morbidity was 8.9%, with a slight predominance in the first two years, and the overall recurrence rate was 2.1%. A total of 12 surgeons and 14 residents performed TEP and/or TAPP at least once. 10.7% of the minimally invasive hernia surgeries were performed by residents, 14.2% were performed by both residents and more experienced surgeons. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of morbidity or recurrence, although the average surgery time was longer in the resident group (p 0.05). Conclusions It is important for residents to collaborate closely with experienced surgeons, seek feedback, and gradually gain proficiency in performing these procedures. With correct patient selection, residents can achieve good outcomes.