ABSTRACT
To compare the open Lichtenstein repair and laparoscopic mesh repair for direct inguinal hernias in terms of immediate post operative pain and length of hospital stay. This randomized control trial was conducted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi from January 2009 to June 2010. All patients presenting in the surgical OPD with direct inguinal hernia, ASA l/ll, were randomly divided in two equal groups. Group-1, patients underwent Lichtenstein's repair and Group-11 had hernioplasty by laparoscopic method [TAPP]. Post operative pain intensity assessed by VAS and hospital stay measured in hours. A total 60 patients of direct inguinal hernia were studied. The mean age was 61.48 +/- 7. The range of postoperative pain experienced was 5.55 as per VAS among all patients. In group-1 [open hernioplasty] majority of patients [53.33%, n=16] experience severe type of pain where as in group-li, moderate seventy of pain was reported by large number of patients [63.34%, n=19]. The mean post operative pain intensity as per VAS was 6.23 in group-l and 4.43 in group-ll patients. The mean length of hospital stay was slightly less [35.10 hrs] in group-l as compared to group-ll [38.70 hrs]. There is definitely less post operative pain after laparoscopic repair but hospital stay is same in both the procedures but laparoscopic procedure does increase the cost