Clinical outcomes of single incision laparoscopic surgery and conventional laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair

Background: Laparoscopic surgery has been a frequently performed method for inguinal hernia repair. Studies have demonstrated that the laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) approach is an appropriate choice for inguinal hernia repair. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) was developed to improve the cosmetic effects of conventional laparoscopy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of SILS-TAPP compared with TAPP technique. Materials and Methods: A total of 148 patients who underwent TAPP or SILS-TAPP in our surgery clinic between December 2012 and January 2015 were enrolled. Data including patient demographics, hernia characteristics, operative time, intraoperative and postoperative complications, length of hospital stay and recurrence rate were retrospectively collected. Results: In total, 60 SILS-TAPP and 88 TAPP procedures were performed in the study period. The two groups were similar in terms of gender, type of hernia, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification score. The patients in the SILS-TAPP group were younger when compared the TAPP group. Port site hernia (PSH) rate was significantly high in the SILS-TAPP group, and all PSHs were recorded in patients with severe comorbidities. The mean operative time has no significant difference in two groups. All SILS procedures were completed successfully without conversion to conventional laparoscopy or open repair. No intraoperative complication was recorded. There was no recurrence during the mean follow-up period of 15.2 ± 3.8 months. Conclusion: SILS TAPP for inguinal hernia repair seems to be a feasible, safe method, and is comparable with TAPP technique. However, randomized trials are required to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes.