Early Outcomes of Laparoscopic Transabdominal Preperitoneal (TAPP) Repair

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Inguinal hernia repair is a common surgical procedure worldwide.
• Laparoscopic techniques, including transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair, have improved outcomes.
• TAPP offers advantages in visualization and has a shorter learning curve than other laparoscopic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of TAPP repair for inguinal hernias.
• Evaluate TAPP based on surgery duration, hospital stay, complications, and recurrence rates.

Main Methods:

• A study of 60 male patients aged 25-70 with inguinal hernias from March 2019 to February 2021.
• All patients underwent TAPP repair using polypropylene mesh by an experienced laparoscopic surgeon.
• Data collected included operative time, hospital stay, complications, and recurrence.

Main Results:

• Mean age was 54.6 years; most had unilateral primary hernias (76.6%).
• Mean surgery duration was 59.1 minutes for unilateral and 83.5 minutes for bilateral hernias.
• Common complications included scrotal swelling (11.6%), SSI (5%), mesh infection (3.3%), urinary retention (3.3%), and chronic pain (1.6%). No recurrence was observed.

Conclusions:

• Transabdominal preperitoneal repair is a highly effective procedure for inguinal hernias.
• TAPP demonstrates a short learning curve and a low rate of complications.
• The procedure is associated with a reduced hospital stay and very low recurrence rates.