The effect of mesh fixation on migration and postoperative pain in laparoscopic TEP repair: prospective randomized double-blinded controlled study

PURPOSE

The development of chronic pain is one of the major post-surgery problems after inguinal hernia repair. Although the possibility of chronic pain formation decreases with laparoscopic methods, pain may develop due to the staples used. It is thought that absence of mesh fixation in total extra-peritoneal (TEP) repair does not increase the recurrence rate. This study aims to investigate the absence of mesh fixation in the TEP on the development of postoperative pain, mesh displacement, and recurrence rate.

METHODS

Between December 2019 and December 2020, 100 patients who underwent TEP repair due to unilateral inguinal hernia in the General Surgery Clinic of Hitit University were included in the study. Study was registered at http://Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05152654). Patients were divided into two groups as repairs in which the mesh was fixed with a tacker and no-fixation (NF) was used. The mesh is marked with radiopaque clips. Patients were compared in terms of postoperative pain, mobilization time, hospital stay, return to work, chronic pain, early-late mesh displacement, and recurrence.

RESULTS

While there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of mesh displacement and recurrence, it was observed that the NF group developed significantly less pain in the early and late postoperative period compared to the other group. The time-dependent reduction rate of postoperative pain was higher in NF group than in other group. In addition, operation time was shorter in the NF group.

CONCLUSION

While the absence of mesh fixation in TEP hernia repair does not increase the recurrence rate, it can be used safely, because it causes less acute and chronic pain.

TRAIL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials number: NCT05152654.

Minimally Invasive Repair of Recurrent Inguinal Hernia: Multi-Institutional Retrospective Comparison of Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Surgery

Introduction: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in general surgery. Despite surgical advances, recurrence and chronic pain are still major issues after this intervention. Aim of our study was to retrospectively assess and compare outcomes of robotic versus laparoscopic repair of recurrent inguinal hernia. Methods: All patients who underwent recurrent inguinal hernia repair between 2014 and 2021 in five different institutions were included in our study. Baseline data on age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, smoking habit, and anticoagulant therapy were retrospectively collected from prospectively maintained databases. Operative time, length of stay, and early and late complications were compared between the robotic and the laparoscopic approach. Results: Forty-eight patients underwent recurrent inguinal hernia repair between January 2014 and December 2021. Twenty-three patients underwent a robotic procedure, whereas 25 were submitted to the laparoscopic intervention. Overall mean follow-up was 26.2 months. There was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics of the two groups. Acceptable and comparable rates of peri- and postoperative outcomes were recorded. However, postoperative visual analog scale score and incidence of chronic pain were lower after the robotic rather than after the laparoscopic approach. (2.9 versus 3.8 P = .002; 20% versus 0%; P = .02, respectively). Conclusions: Minimally invasive repair of recurrent inguinal hernia is safe and feasible; robotic surgery is associated with low rate of postoperative and chronic pain without a significant increase in operative time.

[Outcomes of various techniques of mesh prosthesis fixation in laparoscopic hernia repair]

OBJECTIVE

To compare early and long-term results of various mesh prosthesis fixation methods in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

It is a prospective clinical non-randomized trial. The study included 212 patients. Conventional stapler fixation (112 patients), self-gripping mesh implants (48 patients) and n-butyl cyanoacrylate adhesive fixation (52 patients) were compared. We estimated surgery time, pain syndrome severity in early and long-term postoperative period, postoperative morbidity and recurrence rate were evaluated.

RESULTS

Early postoperative morbidity, activation of patients and hospital-stay were similar in all groups. Pain syndrome within 6 postoperative hours in the first group exceeded the same parameter in the second group by 1.23 times (95% CI 1.15-1.31, p<0.05) and by 1.19 times in the third group (95% CI 1.12-1.26, p<0.05). Within 12 hours, pain syndrome in the first group was 1.27 times more severe compared to the third group (95% CI 1.20-1.34, p<0.05). Pain syndrome in long-term period was similar in all groups. In the first group, one recurrence was detected (0.9%).

CONCLUSION

There were no significant between-group differences. However, we found the correlation of postoperative pain syndrome with mesh implant fixation technique.