[The classical or laparoscopic operation in inguinal hernias]

Area of Science:

• General Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Inguinal hernias are common surgical conditions.
• Traditional open surgical repair has been the standard treatment.
• Advancements in surgical technology have led to the development of laparoscopic techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the outcomes of classical open surgery versus laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia repair.
• To assess postoperative morbidity, operative time, and hospitalization duration for both surgical approaches.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study of two homogeneous trials involving 80 patients with inguinal hernias.
• Trial I: Open repair using Bassini, Shouldice, or Lichtenstein procedures.
• Trial II: Laparoscopic repair utilizing Plastex, Mercilene, or Prolene prostheses.

Main Results:

• Open surgery (Trial I) had a mean operative time of 22 minutes and 7 days hospitalization, with complications including seromas, hematomas, neuralgic pain, testicular hypotrophy, and recurrences.
• Laparoscopic surgery (Trial II) had a mean operative time of 50 minutes and 3 days hospitalization, with complications such as bleeding, serohematomas, prosthesis displacement, and neurologic pain.
• Despite longer operative times, laparoscopic repair showed benefits in reduced hospitalization and morbidity.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair leads to significant benefits, including shorter hospital stays and reduced morbidity.
• These advantages contribute to a more rapid socioprofessional reintegration for patients.
• While operative time and prosthesis cost are higher, the overall patient benefits favor the laparoscopic approach.