RESUMO
This study was designed to compare an open tension-free technique [Lichtenstein repair] with a laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair [TAPP]. In the period between January 2004 and May 2005, 36 patients presented with recurrent inguinal hernias admitted to General Surgery Department at Mansoura University Hospitals. All patients were males and subjected to careful history taking, clinical examination and investigations, they were divided into two groups, group A included 20 patients with 20 recurrent inguinal hernia were treated by open technique [Lichtenstein] and group B included 16 patients were managed by laparoscopic technique. Follow up was done after 1 week, 6week, 3months, 6 months and one year. 20 patients were treated by open technique and 16 patients were treated by laparoscopic method. No major complications were found in both techniques apart from one recurrence in the laparoscopic group [1 year after surgery]. There were difference in operative time between the two methods with favor to open technique [P< 0.05]. Laparoscopy is of great benefit in treatment of recurrent inguinal hernia due to less postoperative pain, early return to work, it still of limited applications in this field due to its serious complications. High cost and experience needed by surgeon to elicit this type of surgery. This makes conventional open technique more applicable for those patients