Comparison of Extended Total Extraperitoneal (E-TEP) Repair and Trans-Abdominal Pre-Peritoneal (TAPP) Mesh Repair in Inguinal Hernia Repair.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To find the superiority of extended total extraperitoneal (E-TEP) repair and trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) mesh repair in inguinal hernia repair.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients with a unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia (IH), and recurrent IH, following open repair were studied. Out of 30 patients, laparoscopic TAPP or E-TEP mesh repair was performed in an equal number of inguinal hernia patients. The patient's demographic parameters, duration of surgery, postoperative hospital stay, and complications were compared.

RESULTS:  In the E-TEP group, 33.33% of patients had left inguinal hernia (LIH), 60% of patients were diagnosed with right inguinal hernia (RIH) and 6.67% of patients had right inguinal and right direct hernia (RDH). In the TAPP group, 33.33% of patients had LIH and 53.33% of patients were suffering from RIH. Moreover, 6.67% of patients were diagnosed with a left inguinal direct hernia, and a similar proportion of patients had a right inguinal direct hernia. The mean duration of surgery was found to be significantly higher in the TAPP group (P<0.0000). The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.07±0.59 and 2.80±1.32 days in E-TEP and TAPP groups, respectively (P=0.044).

CONCLUSION: In the present study, E-TEP mesh repair is a superior technique in the management of inguinal hernia as compared with TAPP repair.