[Laparoscopic repair of bilateral and/or recurrent inguinal hernia]

The Authors report their three-year experience in the laparoscopic management of bilateral or recurrent hernia using a polypropylene mesh through a transabdominal extraperitoneal approach: out of a total of 500 laparoscopic hernioplasties performed, 162 patients with bilateral hernias and 51 with recurrent hernia underwent this procedure. In bilateral hernias a single wide patch was used to cover both the myopectineal foramen, therefore performing a Stoppa procedure by laparoscopy. Two major complications were registered in this series: 1 bleeding and 1 intestinal obstruction, both managed laparoscopically. Minor complications were: 2 cases of neuralgia and 6 seromas which required single or multiple evacuations. Patients were carefully followed up (1-31 months), and no relapses were recorded. Although the follow up is still too short, the Authors stress the characteristics of this technique which shows great advantages mainly represented by a good compliance, quick return to normal work and sport activity; in fact, recovery is obtained in a shorter period as compared to traditional surgery even when the latter includes the use of prosthetic mesh.