Chronic pain and recurrence after laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy

Chronic pain after open inguinal herniorrhaphy is a complication with an incidence of 10-20% and recurrence in 2-5% of the patients. We here present our experience with the laparoscopic technique. Patients who had undergone laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy (TAPP) in our department from 1995 to 2002 received a questionnaire (N = 161). Patients were asked whether they had chronic pain or recurrence; if so, they were seen in the outpatient clinic. A total of 146 patients responded to the questionnaire (91%). Chronic pain was found in 6 patients (4%) and recurrence in 2 patients (1.4%); 134 patients (92%) had previously had inguinal herniorrhaphy with an open procedure (all Lichtenstein) on the same side. Of these, 105 (78%) preferred the laparoscopic procedure. Laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy led to a very low incidence of chronic pain and recurrence compared with previous reports in open surgery. The majority of our patients were operated on for recurrent hernias, after which an even lower incidence of chronic pain and fewer recurrences in laparoscopic primary herniorrhaphies could be expected.