A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY ASSESSING TRANS-ABDOMINAL PRE-PERITONEAL PROCEDURE VERSUS LICHTENSTEIN APPROACH FOR INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR

Objective: Inguinal hernia is a common pathology diagnosed predominantly clinically in males as well as females. Imaging, preferably with ultrasound is indicated when the diagnosis is uncertain, or complicated inguinal hernia. Surgery is the only definitive treatment for inguinal hernia. Apart from the classical open inguinal hernia repairs, minimal access approaches are also increasingly preferred. However, the optimal surgical approach still remains controversial as both techniques have some pros and cons. To compare the effectiveness of inguinal hernia repair utilizing the trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal repair (TAPP) and the Lichtenstein repair. Methods: A retrospective study was planned, including 110 patients with unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernias admitted to the general surgery department of a tertiary care Centre. 42 patients who underwent the TAPP approach and 68 patients who underwent the Lichtenstein procedure were included in the study retrospectively. Using an institutional Hernia follow-up registry and telephonic conversations with patients, the incidence of post-operative pain and other complications were noted and compared. Results: TAPP for inguinal hernias outperformed Lichtenstein in terms of post-operative discomfort and incidence of pain without increasing complications or recurrence rates. Conclusion: TAPP surpassed the Lichtenstein operation in terms of post-operative discomfort and medication use for therapeutic intervention without increasing complication and recurrence rates.