Background: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common surgical procedures worldwide, with open Lichtenstein repair and laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) approaches being widely used. This study compares the efficacy, safety, and postoperative outcomes of these two techniques in managing unilateral nonrecurrent inguinal hernias. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital over a year, involving 78 patients with unilateral nonrecurrent inguinal hernias. Patients were evenly divided into two groups: Lichtenstein repair ( n = 39) and TAPP ( n = 39). Key parameters assessed included operative time, postoperative pain (measured via the Visual Analog Scale), complication rates, hospital stay, and recurrence rates during a 6-month follow-up. Data analysis employed descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: The mean operative time was significantly longer for TAPP (85 min) than Lichtenstein (55 min) ( P < 0.05). Postoperative pain scores were consistently lower in the TAPP group across all time points (day 1: 3.0 vs. 6.2; day 7: 1.2 vs. 5.0; day 30: 0.0 vs. 2.3, all P < 0.05). Complications, notably seroma formation, were less frequent in the TAPP group (5.1% vs. 15.4%). The mean hospital stay was shorter for TAPP (1.8 days) than Lichtenstein (4.0 days) ( P < 0.05). No hernia recurrences were reported in either group. Conclusion: Both techniques are effective for inguinal hernia repair. However, TAPP provides advantages, including reduced postoperative pain, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays, despite a longer operative time. These findings support the growing adoption of laparoscopic techniques for unilateral nonrecurrent inguinal hernia repair, particularly in resource-equipped settings.
Pankaj et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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