Laparoscopic Versus Open Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Comparative Study

Inguinal hernia is a common surgical problem around the world. The two types of groin hernias are femoral hernias and direct and indirect inguinal hernias. The incidence rate is higher among males. This investigation intends to differentiate between open and laparoscopic methods of inguinal hernia surgery with respect to operative time, seroma formation, duration of hospitalization, and return to normal activity.

This prospective observational study included 84 patients with unilateral, bilateral, direct, and indirect inguinal hernias, but excluded those who were unwilling to have surgery, were under 12, had comorbidities, or had complete and recurrent hernias. In the end, 42 underwent open, and 42 underwent laparoscopic repair. Visual analog scales were used for pain assessments. Chi-square and unpaired student T-tests were employed (p<0.05).

Among the 84 individuals analyzed, 79 (94.04%) were male patients, with the majority of them falling between the ages of 41 and 55. In contrast to the open group of patients, the laparoscopic group experienced a significant increase in operative time with a highly significant statistical difference (p<0.0001), and the laparoscopic group experienced a significant decrease in post-operative pain score with an insignificant p-value. A significant statistical difference (p<0.005) was estimated among the laparoscopic and open groups of patients in terms of post-operative hospitalization. Returning to normal activities was significantly different for laparoscopic patients relative to the open group (p-value<0.001). With a high level of significance of p<0.001, laparoscopic hernia repair required less time to recover before returning to normal activities than open hernia repair (p<0.005).

In terms of decreased post-operative discomfort, shorter hospitalization, and an earlier return to activities, laparoscopic hernia repair has been found to be superior to open hernia repair, which is also known as Lichtenstein surgery. However, there was no discernible difference among the two groups with regard to post-operative problems, including seroma development and wound infections. To assess chronic discomfort and recurrence rates after laparoscopic hernia surgery, additional studies and extended follow-up are required.