Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair Research Articles

To close, not to close, or to act bigger? Managing the defect of large direct inguinal hernia to reduce the risk of recurrence during laparoscopic TAPP repair: a retrospective cohort study.

Hernia recurrence is a common complication after inguinal hernia repair. Recent studies suggest that laparoscopic mesh repair with closure of direct hernia defects can reduce recurrence rates. Our study examines the effectiveness of this approach. A retrospective, multi-center cohort study was conducted on cases performed from January 2013 to April 2021. Patients with direct inguinal hernias (M3 according to EHS classification) undergoing TAPP were included. Three groups were present: closed-defect group, non-closed placing a standard-sized mesh group or non-closed placing an XL-sized mesh group. A 2-year follow-up was recorded. A total of 158 direct M3 inguinal hernias in 110 patients who underwent surgery were present. After propensity score matching at a 1:1 ratio, 22 patients for each group were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 62years (41-84); with the majority being male (84.8%). 22 patients (40 hernias) underwent closure of the defect; 22 patients (39 hernias) did not undergo closure and used a standard-sized mesh; 22 patients (27 hernias) did not undergo closure and used an XL-sized mesh. There were 5 recurrences at 1year post-operatively: all in the non-closure group with standard-sized mesh. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.044). There were 7 recurrences (6.6%) at 2years post-operatively: 6 in the non-closure group with standard-sized mesh and 1 in the non-closure group with XL-sized mesh (p = 0.007). Closing large direct inguinal hernia defects has shown promise in reducing early recurrence rates. However, conducting larger RCTs in the future could provide more conclusive evidence that might impact the way we approach laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

Telescopic dissection versus balloon dissection during laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: A prospective randomised control trial.

Totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair involves creating a preperitoneal space. The preperitoneal space can be created by balloon or telescopic dissection (TD). Nevertheless, these techniques may have some complications. However, there are very few studies that compare these two techniques. This study aims to assess the impact and comprehensively compare the TD and balloon dissection (BD) methods in patients undergoing laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair. This was a single-centre, double-blinded, prospective, randomised, controlled trial comparing BD and TD for the creation of the preperitoneal space. The primary end point was to compare the post-operative pain score, intraoperative complications and surgical site occurrence between the two groups. The secondary end point was to assess the impact of the dissection technique on operative time for the creation of extraperitoneal space during laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair. A total of 46 patients were included in the study (23 in each group). Baseline parameters were comparable between the groups. The total operative time between the groups (120 min vs. 160 min; P < 0.005) was statistically significant. The incidence of the peritoneal breach was statistically less in the BD group (43% vs. 13%; P < 0.005). Other short-term and long-term complications were less in the BD group but not statistically significant. BD in TEP inguinal hernia repair reduces the operative time and peritoneal breach. When compared to TD in terms of operative time, routine use of BD can be proposed. It will be beneficial in the early part of the learning curve.

Quality of life following laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair of a unilateral reducible inguinal hernia.

Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair has become increasingly favored over open Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair owing to its associated benefits, including reduced postoperative pain, early return to normal activities, and a comparable recurrence rate. In recent years, emphasis has been placed on patient-reported outcomes, particularly health-related quality of life (QOL), as a critical metric for evaluating surgical success. This study aimed to evaluate the overall QOL following laparoscopic TEP repair of unilateral inguinal hernia. This prospective study enrolled patients aged 18 years or older who underwent elective laparoscopic TEP hernia repair for unilateral inguinal hernia from April 2020 to March 2022. Data collected include demographic details, hernia characteristics, postoperative complications, and postoperative QOL assessment. The Short Form 36 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-36v2), a validated general QoL questionnaire, was administered preoperatively and at 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Statistical analysis utilized paired t-tests for comparisons, with significance set at a p-value <.05. A cohort of 49 patients, with a mean (standard deviation) age of 56.7 (14.0) years, predominantly comprising 47 men, was available for evaluation. Complications were observed in three (6.1%) of cases, with seroma/hematoma occurring in two patients and a wound infection necessitating antibiotic treatment in one patient. Notably, there were no instances of recurrence during the study period. Postoperative assessments revealed significant improvements in both physical and mental health at 1 month, with continued improvement noted up to 12 months. Laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair has been shown to improve both physical and mental health in patients with unilateral reducible inguinal hernia, with the majority of the improvement typically occurring within the initial month following surgery. It is crucial to communicate these improvement trends to patients undergoing hernia repair to help manage their expectations effectively.

The association of permanent versus absorbable fixation on developing chronic post-herniorrhaphy groin pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

Fixation of mesh during minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair is thought to contribute to chronic post-herniorrhaphy groin pain (CGP). In contrast to permanent tacks, absorbable tacks are hypothesized to minimize the likelihood of CGP. This study aimed to compare the rates of CGP after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair between absorbable versus permanent fixation at maximum follow-up. This is a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial in patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (NCT03835351). All patients were contacted at maximum follow-up after surgery to administer EuraHS quality of life (QoL) surveys. The pain and restriction of activity subdomains of the survey were utilized. The primary outcome was rate of CGP, as defined by a EuraHS QoL pain domain score ≥ 4 measured at ≥ 1year postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were pain and restriction of activity domain scores and hernia recurrence at maximum follow-up. A total of 338 patients were contacted at a mean follow-up of 28 ± 11months. 181 patients received permanent tacks and 157 patients received absorbable tacks during their repair. At maximum follow-up, the rates of CGP (27 [15%] vs 28 [18%], P = 0.47), average pain scores (1.78 ± 4.38 vs 2.32 ± 5.40, P = 0.22), restriction of activity scores (1.39 ± 4.32 vs 2.48 ± 7.45, P = 0.18), and the number of patients who reported an inguinal bulge (18 [9.9%] vs 15 [9.5%], P = 0.9) were similar between patients with permanent versus absorbable tacks. On multivariable analysis, there was no significant difference in the odds of CGP between the two groups (OR 1.23, 95% CI [0.60, 2.50]). Mesh fixation with permanent tacks does not appear to increase the risk of CGP after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair when compared to fixation with absorbable tacks. Prospective trials are needed to further evaluate this relationship.

Closure of the Peritoneum in Laparoscopic Transabdominal Preperitoneal Inguinal Hernia Repair (TAPP) With Cyanoacrylate Glue in a Microdroplet Device: A Single Surgeon Prospective Comparison vs. Barbed Suture

Purpose:To describe and compare a peritoneal closure technique using cyanoacrylate glue (Glubran 2®, GEM, Cardiolink SL) with a microdroplet device (Glutack®, GEM, Cardiolink SL) in laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair (TAPP) of inguinal hernia with the routinely used barbed suture peritoneal closure (V-Lock 3.0, Covidien France).Materials and methods:From January to August 2022, 60 patients undergoing TAPP repair for uni- or bilateral inguinal hernia were randomized into one of two groups. One using as mesh fixation and peritoneal closure the Glutack® device with Glubran 2® cyanoacrylate glue (Glu-close group) and the other using mesh fixation with cyanoacrylate and peritoneal closure with V-lock 3.0 (Sut-close group), with a follow-up of 12 months. Demographic variables, operative time, peritoneal closure time, main surgical findings and main intra- and postoperative complications were analyzed prospectively.Results:63 patients were included with no losses to follow-up. The mean operative time was 34 min (range 58.25) for the glu-close group and 40 (range 64.25) for the sut-close group, with no conversion (0%) for either group. The mean flap closure time was 1.18 min (SD 24 0.19) for the glu-close group and 3.24 min (SD 0.78) for the sut-close group, with statistically significant differences (p &amp;lt; 0.001). The intraoperative complication rate was 0 for the glu-close group and 0 for the sut-close group, with no significant difference. The median hospital stay was 0.8 days (range, 0–1) for both groups. The median duration of follow-up was 12 months and none had hernia recurrence. The postoperative VAS score at the first and second check-up at 1 month and 3 months was 2.83 (SD 1.341) and 0.60 (SD 0.621) in the sut-close group and 1.03 (0.984) and 0.24 (SD 0.435) in the glue-close group, with significant differences (p &amp;lt; 0.001 and p &amp;lt; 0.012).Conclusion:The data demonstrated by the study are that the glue can be used safely to close the peritoneum and that the method provides a small, statistically significant but not clinically relevant reduction in the time to close the peritoneal flap, as well as in postoperative pain after surgery in short and medium term.

Laparoscopic vs robotic inguinal hernia repair: a comparison of learning curves and skill transference in general surgery residents.

There is no consensus on whether laparoscopic experience should be a prerequisite for robotic training. Further, there is limited information on skill transference between laparoscopic and robotic techniques. This study focused on the general surgery residents' learning curve and skill transference within the twominimally invasive platforms. General surgery residents were observed during the performance of laparoscopic and robotic inguinal hernia repairs. The recorded data included objective measures (operative time, resident participation indicated by percent active time on console or laparoscopy relative to total case time, number of handoffs between the resident and attending), and subjective evaluations (preceptor and trainee assessments of operative performance) while controlling for case complexity, patient comorbidities, and residents' prior operative experience. Wilcoxon two-sample tests and Pearson Correlation coefficients were used for analysis. Twenty laparoscopic and forty-four robotic cases were observed. Mean operative times were 90min for robotic and 95min for laparoscopic cases (P = 0.4590). Residents' active participation time was 66% on the robotic platform and 37% for laparoscopic (P =  < 0.0001). On average, hand-offs occurred 9.7 times during robotic cases and 6.3 times during laparoscopic cases (P = 0.0131). The mean number of cases per resident was 5.86 robotic and 1.67 laparoscopic (P = 0.0312). For robotic cases, there was a strong correlation between percent active resident participation and their prior robotic experience (r = 0.78) while there was a weaker correlation with prior laparoscopic experience (r = 0.47). On the other hand, prior robotic experience had minimal correlation with the percent active resident participation in laparoscopic cases (r = 0.12) and a weak correlation with prior laparoscopic experience (r = 0.37). The robotic platform may be a more effective teaching tool with a higher degree of entrustability indicated by the higher mean resident participation. We observed a greater degree of skill transference from laparoscopy to the robot, indicated by a higher degree of correlation between the resident's prior laparoscopic experience and the percent console time in robotic cases. There was minimal correlation between residents' prior robotic experience and their participation in laparoscopic cases. Our findings suggest that the learning curve for the robot may be shorter as prior robotic experience had a much stronger association with future robotic performance compared to the association observed in laparoscopy.

Previous inguinal hernia surgery does not limit the likelihood of choosing prostatectomy as primary prostate cancer therapy

We evaluated whether previous inguinal hernia repair may affect the choice of prostate carcinoma treatment in a population-based cohort. It has been suggested that previous laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) could limit the subsequent possibility of performing a prostatectomy. Several small studies have suggested otherwise. The study cohort included all new prostate cancer cases in Finland 1998–2015 identified through the Finnish cancer registry. Data on the treatment of prostate cancer and surgical inguinal hernia repairs in 1998–2016 was obtained from the HILMO hospital discharge registry. After linkage, the study cohort included 7206 men. Of these, 5500 had no history of inguinal hernia, 1463 had an open hernia repair, and 193 had a minimally invasive repair (LIHR). Compared to men with no history of hernia repair, those with previous hernia repairs were more likely to undergo prostatectomy over radiation therapy as the primary treatment for prostate cancer HR 1.34 (CI 95% 1.19–1.52). The association did not depend on the method of hernia repair, HR 1.58 (CI 95% 1.15–2.18), in men with previous LIHR. The increased likelihood of choosing prostatectomy over radiation therapy concerns all type prostatectomies. Previous hernia repair is not a limiting factor when choosing treatment for prostate cancer.

Comparative study of mesh fixation versus without mesh fixation in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair by TAPP approach

Background: An inguinal hernia is a protrusion of abdominal contents through the inguinal canal. Laparoscopic TAPP inguinal hernia repair without mesh fixation is comparitively easy and safer than TAPP with mesh fixation with no increase in recurrence rate. Hence the current study was conducted to analyse complications after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (TAPP) with mesh fixation vs without mesh fixation in patients with inguinal hernia. Patients has provided informed consent for publication. Methods: It was an observational cohort study, comparing the outcome in 60 patients undergoing laparoscopic TAPP for inguinal hernia, where patients were randomly allotted into two groups as 30 with mesh fixation and 30 without mesh fixation over a period of two years October 2020 to September 2022. Results: In the current study, we observed that recurrence was reported among 3.33% study subjects without mesh fixation. While Recurrence reported among 6.67% study subjects with mesh fixation. However, the difference in the observations was statistically not found to be significant and there is significant reduction in postoperative pain, operation duration and hospital stay duration in laparoscopic TAPP without mesh fixation group. Conclusions: It was observed that laparoscopic TAPP repair without mesh fixation does not increase recurrence rate but reduces operative duration, hospital stay duration and decreases the incidence of postoperative pain compared to laparoscopic TAPP with mesh fixation.

Postoperative pain in transabdominal preperitoneal laparoscopic hernia repair with staple fixation versus self-fixation mesh

BackgroundThe mesh fixation method is one of the multiple factors associated with chronic postoperative pain in inguinal hernia surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate postoperative pain associated with the two available fixation strategies (staple fixation versus self-fixating mesh) used in our field. MethodsWe designed an observational study with retrospective cohorts to analyze postoperative pain in patients who underwent a laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair with a self-fixating mesh or staple fixation, which are the two available techniques in our field. A total of 296 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included between January 2014 and October 2021. ResultsThe evaluated patients’ median age was 66.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 20.75) years and were predominantly male (70.13 %). The proportion of participants with chronic pain was 3.20 % in the staple fixation group and 0 % in the self-fixating mesh group, with no statistically significant differences. On the other hand, recurrency in the staple fixation group was 2.28 % versus 3.90 % in the self-fixating mesh group, without statistically significant differences. ConclusionsSelf-fixating meshes have a trend towards smaller proportion of chronic pain and similar proportions of recurrence; therefore, they seem to be the best fixation method between the two mechanisms that are available in our field to prevent postoperative chronic pain.

Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repair in patients with a history of previous abdominopelvic surgery.

A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair compared short- and long-term outcomes between individuals with or without history of previous abdominopelvic surgery, aiming to determine the feasibility of totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair within this population. All patients who underwent elective TEP inguinal hernia repair by one consultant surgeon across three London hospitals from January 2017 to May 2023 were retrospectively analysed to assess perioperative outcomes. Two hundred sixty-two patients were identified, of whom two hundred forty-three (93%) underwent laparoscopic TEP repair. The most frequent complications were haematoma (6.2%) and seroma (4.1%). Recurrence occurred in four cases (1.6% of operations, 1.1% of hernias). One hundred eighty-four patients (76%) underwent day-case surgery. There were no mesh infections or explanations, vascular or visceral injuries, port-site hernias, damage to testicle, or persisting numbness. There were no requirements for blood transfusion, returns to theatre, or readmissions within 30days. There was one conversion to open and one death within 60days of surgery. Eighty-three (34%) had a history of previous AP surgery. There was no significant difference in perioperative outcomes between the AP and non-AP arms. This finding carried true for subgroup analysis of 44 patients whose AP surgical history did not include previous inguinal hernia repair and for those undergoing repair of recurrent hernia. In expert hands, laparoscopic TEP repair is associated with excellent outcomes and low rates of long-term complications, and thus should be considered as standard for patients regardless of a history of AP surgery.

Comparison of laparoscopic and open inguinal-hernia repair in elderly patients: the experience of two comprehensive medical centers over 10 years.

The safety of laparoscopic inguinal-hernia repair must be carefully evaluated in elderly patients. Very little is known regarding the safety of the laparoscopic approach in elderly patients under surgical and medical co-management (SMC). Therefore, this study evaluated the safety of the laparoscopic approach in elderly patients, especially patients with multiple comorbidities under SMC. From January 2012 to December 2021, patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent open or laparoscopic inguinal-hernia repair during hospitalization were consecutively enrolled. Postoperative outcomes included major and minor operation-related complications, and other adverse events. To reduce potential selection bias, propensity score matching was performed between open and laparoscopic groups based on patients' demographics and comorbidities. A total of 447 elderly patients who underwent inguinal-hernia repair were enrolled, with 408 (91.3%) underwent open and 39 (8.7%) laparoscopic surgery. All postoperative outcomes were comparable between open and laparoscopic groups after 1:1 propensity score matching (all p > 0.05). Moreover, compared to the traditional care group (n = 360), a higher proportion of the SMC group (n = 87) was treated via the laparoscopic approach (18.4% vs. 6.4%, p = 0.00). In the laparoscopic approach subgroup (n = 39), patients in the SMC group (n = 16) were older with multiple comorbidities but were at higher risks of only minor operation-related complications, compared to those in the traditional care group. Laparoscopic inguinal-hernia repair surgery is safe for elderly patients, especially those with multiple comorbidities under SMC.

Quadratus lumborum block in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair: A single center study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of QL block in patients undergoing laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair. Study Design: Randomized Clinical Trial. Setting: Kalsoom International Hospital, Islamabad. Period: Dec 2022 to June 2023. Methods: In this, all patients between the ages of 18 and 70 who were scheduled for laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repair to repair a one-sided inguinal hernia and did not have any complications related to the hernia. In one group, the patients received general anesthesia and in the other group, the patients were given sedation along with a technique called QL block. Age, gender, pain score on VAS at 1 hours, 6 hour and 12 hours after procedure was noted. Comparison of pain according to the VAS by type of anesthesia was done between the two groups and independent sample t-test was applied to see the statistical significant. Results: The patients' mean age was 43 + 9.09 years. Around 70% of the patients were males, while 30% were females, indicating a male predominance. The study's outcome was the mean pain score after 1 hour, 6 hours, and 12 hours. The two techniques of anesthesia utilized in the two groups were compared in terms of pain. The mean VAS at 1 hour after the initiation of anesthesia was not significantly different between the two groups, but it was statistically significant at 6 and 12 hours (p value of 0.001). Conclusion: QL block is a safe and effective alternative for patients undergoing TEP inguinal repair because to the observed reduction in early postoperative pain, shorter hospitalization, and cheaper anesthetic and hospital costs. Although our research showed that pain was significantly reduced for up to 12 hours after the operation, more information is needed before we can confidently endorse it for widespread use.

Comparison of TAPP and TEP in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare TAPP and TEP techniques, which are laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair techniques. In this study, it was tried to determine whether one technique has an advantage over the other in terms of surgery, hospitalization and recovery times, recurrence, postoperative bleeding and testicular edema.&#x0D; Methods: Totally 62 patients who underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair between January 2015 and January 2020 were included in this retrospective study.&#x0D; Results: Among the patients who underwent TAPP and TEP operations; it was determined that there was no significant difference in terms of operation time, recovery time, hospital stay, recurrence and complications (p&gt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, TEP and TAPP are equally effective and safe as laparoscopic hernia repair surgery. The choice of which approach to perform can be made according to the skill and preference of the surgeon.

Laparoscopic Sac Disconnection and Peritoneal Closure of Pediatric Inguinal Hernia.

Background: Laparoscopic sac disconnection and peritoneal closure represents an alternative to open pediatric hernia repair. We performed a retrospective review of our data to evaluate this alternative method. Materials and Methods: With REB approval, a retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent laparoscopic indirect inguinal hernia repair between June 2013 and July 2016 was conducted. Primary outcome was the recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes included length of surgery, postoperative hydrocele, and perioperative complications. Data were extracted from EPIC Hyperspace onto a standardized data extraction form. Results: A total of 243 patients were included, of which 82% were males. Age ranged from 1 month to 17 years of age. A total of 322 defects were repaired. Eighty (32%) had contralateral patent processus vaginalis. Twelve (4%) patients presented with incarceration and three (1.2%) had a direct inguinal hernia defect. Recurrence rate was 0.6% (n = 2). There were no intraoperative complications. Operative time was an average of 40 and 54 minutes for unilateral and bilateral repairs, respectively. No testicular ascents, testicular atrophy, vas deferens injury, postoperative hydroceles, and wound infections were reported. Conclusion: Laparoscopic sac disconnection and peritoneal closure of pediatric inguinal hernia is a safe, feasible method with one of the lowest reported recurrence rate among the other laparoscopic methods.

Economic analysis of the robotic approach to inguinal hernia versus laparoscopic: is it sustainable for the healthcare system?

There has been a rapid proliferation of the robotic approach to inguinal hernia, mainly in the United States, as it has shown similar outcomes to the laparoscopic approach but with a significant increase in associated costs. Our objective is to conduct a cost analysis in our setting (Spanish National Health System). A retrospective single-center comparative study on inguinal hernia repair using a robotic approach versus laparoscopic approach. A total of 98 patients who underwent either robotic or laparoscopic TAPP inguinal hernia repair between October 2021 and July 2023 were analyzed. Out of these 98 patients, 20 (20.4%) were treated with the robotic approach, while 78 (79.6%) underwent the laparoscopic approach. When comparing both approaches, no significant differences were found in terms of complications, recurrences, or readmissions. However, the robotic group exhibited a longer surgical time (86 ± 33.07min vs. 40 ± 14.46min, p < 0.001), an extended hospital stays (1.6 ± 0.503days vs. 1.13 ± 0.727days, p < 0.007), as well as higher procedural costs (2318.63 ± 205.15 € vs. 356.81 ± 110.14 €, p < 0.001) and total hospitalization costs (3272.48 ± 408.49 € vs. 1048.61 ± 460.06 €, p < 0.001). These results were consistent when performing subgroup analysis for unilateral and bilateral hernias. The benefits observed in terms of recurrence rates and post-surgical complications do not justify the additional costs incurred by the robotic approach to inguinal hernia within the national public healthcare system. Nevertheless, it represents a simpler way to initiate the robotic learning curve, justifying its use in a training context.

Repair of umbilical hernias concomitant to other procedures is safe: a propensity score-matched database study.

Repair of an umbilical hernia is most often considered the less important condition when concomitant with other abdominal surgery. Despite this, the evidence for a concomitant umbilical hernia repair is sparse. The aim of this nationwide cohort study is to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of primary umbilical hernia repair and umbilical hernia repair concomitant with other abdominal surgery. Data from the Danish Hernia Database and the National Patients Registry from January 2007 to December 2018 was merged, resulting in identification of patients receiving umbilical hernia concomitant to another abdominal surgery (laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and laparoscopic appendectomy). This group was propensity score matched with patients undergoing umbilical hernia repair as a primary procedure. Outcome data included 90-day readmission, 90-day reoperation, and operation for recurrence. A total of 3365 primary umbilical hernia repairs and 2418 umbilical hernia repairs concomitant to other abdominal surgery were included. Readmission (10.5%, 255/2418) and reoperation (3.8%, 93/2418) rates within 90 days were decreased for umbilical hernia repairs concomitant to other abdominal surgery, compared with primary umbilical hernia repairs (22.7%, 765/3365) and (10.5%, 255/3365), P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively. The rate of operation for recurrence was significantly increased for primary repairs (4.2%, 141/3365), compared with repairs concomitant to other abdominal surgery (3.2%, 77/2418), P=0.014. Outcome in umbilical hernia repair performed concomitant to laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, elective or emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or laparoscopic appendectomy is comparable to umbilical hernia repair without concomitant surgery.

Evaluating a Single Surgeon's Learning Curve for Laparoscopic Totally Extraperitoneal Repair of Inguinal Hernia with Telescopic Dissection: A Cumulative Sum Control Chart Analysis.

Background: Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair (IHR) reduces risk of injury to intraperitoneal structures. Balloon dissection is more costly and has theoretical risk of injury to the surrounding structures compared with telescopic dissection (TD). This study aims to evaluate the learning curve (LC) for TEP IHR with TD of a single surgeon. Methods: This is a 3-year retrospective cohort study from January 2020 to December 2022 on patients who underwent elective laparoscopic TEP unilateral IHR with TD. Exclusion criteria were recurrent inguinal hernia. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was performed to evaluate the number of cases required to surmount the LC, that is, NLC for operating time (OT) and open conversion. One way analysis of variance was used to perform groupwise comparison. Results: There were 69 patients who underwent laparoscopic TEP unilateral IHR with TD. The median age was 58.0 years (range 24.0-80.0) and body mass index was 23.0 (range 18.6-30.0). Majority of the hernia was indirect (n = 48, 69.6%). The median OT was 70 minutes (range 35-210). Three cases (4.3%) had open conversion. One-year recurrence was 4.2% (n = 1/24). CUSUM analysis showed improvement in OT after the eighth case. However, this was followed by multiple inflection points with no apparent stabilization in OT. Pairwise comparison showed a decrease in OT between cases 18-36 and cases 37-54. There was no incidence of open conversion until the 56th case. Conclusion: Laparoscopic TEP IHR using TD is safe in the absence of a practor. A minimum of 36 cases is required to surmount the initial LC.

Connecting Coding and Policy: Inguinal Hernias in Children

The June 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report, “Assessment and Management of Inguinal Hernias in Children” (https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-062510), notes that inguinal hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in children. In addition to the procedural considerations included in the clinical report, it is important that physicians who repair inguinal hernias and their coding and billing staff know the correct codes for reporting these procedures. This article reviews the following topics: Evaluation and management with decision for surgery Diagnosis codes for inguinal hernia Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair Open inguinal hernia repair

Comparisons of fentanyl and sufentanil on recovery time after inguinal hernia repair in children: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundInguinal hernia repair is a common pediatric procedure. We studied postoperative recovery times in children undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair with anesthesia induced by fentanyl versus sufentanil.MethodsWe performed a pilot randomized clinical trial between February and December 2022. Eligible children were assigned into two age groups, 2–6 and 6–12 years old groups. Then, children in each age group were randomly assigned into either the fentanyl (2 µg/kg) or sufentanil (0.2 µg/kg) group for anesthesia induction. Baseline characteristics were collected. The primary outcome was the postoperative recovery time, which was recorded as the time period from extubation to a Steward recovery score reaching 6. Secondary outcomes included surgical duration, anesthetic duration, intubation duration, and intraoperative hemorrhage.ResultsThere were 300 children, with 75 children in each group. In the 2–6 years old group, children who received fentanyl had statistically significantly shorter postoperative recovery times than children who received sufentanil (0.9 ± 0.4 versus 1.5 ± 0.3 h, P < 0.001). However, in the 6–12 years old group, children who received fentanyl had statistically significantly longer postoperative recovery times than children who received sufentanil (1.2 ± 0.4 versus 0.8 ± 0.4 h, P < 0.001). Baseline characteristics and secondary outcomes were comparable between two groups.ConclusionsAnesthesia induction with fentanyl or sufentanil resulted in different postoperative recovery times after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children in different age groups. More studies are required to determine the appropriate induction anesthetic in children of different ages.Trial registrationThe study protocol was retrospectively registered online at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number ChiCTR2300072177, retrospectively registered on 06/06/2023).

Outcomes from Early Experience with Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair Versus Open Technique

Outcomes from Early Experience with Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair Versus Open Technique