Equal results with laparoscopic and Shouldice repairs of primary inguinal hernia in men. Report from a prospective randomised study.

AIM: To compare the laparoscopic and Shouldice techniques for repair of inguinal hernia. MATERIAL: 261 healthy men over 50 years with primary, unilateral inguinal hernia were randomly allocated to laparoscopic (total extraperitoneal approach, TEP) treatment (n = 131) or to a modified Shouldice technique (n = 130). RESULTS: Apart from a longer operative time in the laparoscopic group, there were no significant differences between the two methods with regard to perioperative complications, hospital stay, recurrencies or pain in the groin. CONCLUSIONS: Results following the total extraperitoneal laparoscopic and the Shouldice technique do not differ significantly 2 years after hernia repair.

Laparoscopic treatment of recurrent inguinal hernias: experience from 281 operations.

The results of laparoscopic repair of 281 recurrent inguinal hernias in 260 patients are presented. One hundred sixty-eight totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and 113 transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) procedures were performed. Four major complications occurred in the early postoperative period, three of them in the TAPP group. After 2-4 years, the results were controlled by questionnaires and clinical reexaminations, if necessary. Eleven percent of the TAPP patients and 2% of the TEP patients experienced a recurrence. About 20% of the patients reported occasional discomfort and pain in the operated groin. We conclude that laparoscopic herniorrhaphy provides acceptable results in reoperative hernia surgery.