Clinical usefulness of laparoscopic total extraperitoneal hernia repair for recurrent inguinal hernia

PURPOSE Hernia repair after recurrence is a challenging procedure, and many approaches have been suggested for it. Total extraperitoneal (TEP) hernia repair should be considered in recurrent hernia. This study was conducted for the purpose of investigating the clinical usefulness of laparoscopic TEP hernia repair for recurrent inguinal hernia. METHODS Among the 191 patients who underwent TEP hernia repair at these authors' center from June 2006 to January 2010, the bilateral-hernia cases and the patients with a history of previous pelvic surgery were excluded. A total of 19 patients (12.5%) were enrolled in the recurrent-inguinal-hernia group (group R), and 133 patients (87.5%) in the primary-hernia group (group P). Data were investigated retrospectively, based on the medical records. RESULTS The mean operation time was 97 minutes in group R and 99 minutes in group P (>0.05). In group R, no operation modality change occurred, and temporary urinary retention was developed in four patients (21.1%). In group P, on the other hand, operation modality change from TEP to the transabdominal preperitoneal approach was necessary in four patients (3%). Additionally, in group P, 30 patients (22.6%) had temporary urinary retention and six (4.5%) had testicular edema. No recurrence was identified during the follow-up period in both groups (mean follow-up period: 15.8 months for group R and 18.0 months for group P). CONCLUSION Laparoscopic TEP hernia repair seems to be a safe and useful method for correcting recurrent inguinal hernia.