Is testicular perfusion influenced during laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery?

The influence of laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery is still unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the possible early effects of laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair on testicular perfusion.

In this prospective trial, 44 patients underwent mesh repair of a primary inguinal hernia assigned to one of two procedures: open anterior mesh repair (n = 29) or a laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal approach (n = 15). Doppler ultrasound was used to determine the hemodynamic characteristics of the testicular blood flow.

No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of Doppler flow parameters for the preoperative, very early (day 1), and early postoperative (day 7) periods. When Doppler flow parameters of the testicular artery were compared in the conventional group, statistically significant differences were found between preoperative and very early postoperative values (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, comparison among flow parameters of the testicular, capsular, and intratesticular arteries of the laparoscopic group showed statistically significant differences between preoperative and very early postoperative and between preoperative and early postoperative values (p < 0.05). There were no statistically differences in postoperative complications between the two groups.

Testicular blood flow is influenced during laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery. Whether changes in flow parameters remain in the late postoperative period, and whether they have an impact on complications will be evaluated in further studies.