No Recurrence After 16 Years Prospective Long-Term Follow-Up of Open Tep/Tipp Inguinal Hernia Repair

Aim Evaluation of long-term follow-up results after open transinguinal preperitoneal (TIPP) technique with preformed lightweight mesh (PLM). Material and Methods This unicentric study included 102 patients treated with surgery for groin hernia by the same surgeon using the same technique, with PLM, June 2008–September 2009. All patients were postoperatively followed with clinical control 1 month later, and a survey follow-up 40–54 months after surgery, in January 2013.Those reporting any complaints were invited for outpatient review. Chronic pain, hernia recurrence and reoperation were documented. Results until January 2024 were retrieved from the Swedish Hernia Register. Results 102 hernia repairs; 46 with local anaesthesia with no intraoperative complications. Clinical control after 1 month: No infection of the mesh. No clinical recurrence. No re-operation required. Questionnaire follow-up: Mean follow-up time: 47 months. 95 patients (93%) followed-up. Light, not permanent pain in 8.8% of patients who did not require the consumption of systematic painkillers and are not limited in their activities. No re-operations have so far been recorded in the Swedish Hernia Register with a median follow-up of 182 (range 176–187) months and 79 patients still alive. Conclusions No recorded recurrences after almost 16 years of follow-up are encouraging. This technique consisted of the placement of a patch in the preperitoneal space, which combines the benefits of the anterior approach (safe technique, short learning curve, local anaesthesia, low cost) and the preperitoneal placement of the mesh (less recurrence, less pain).