Comparison of modified tumescent and conventional laparoscopic transabdominal pre-peritoneal repair in the patients of inguinal hernia: A randomised control trial.

Abstract

Introduction: Inguinal hernia surgery, a common procedure worldwide, continues to develop to achieve minimal access and tension-free repairs. However, a universally accepted technique has yet to be developed. Our study introduces a new approach, a modified tumescent transabdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP), to a low-cost setting. We then compare its safety and efficacy with the conventional TAPP, providing a new perspective on hernia repair methods.

Patients and methods: The study was conducted between April 2016 and September 2017 at the department of surgery in a medical college in Jammu. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to either the conventional TAPP group or the tumescent TAPP group using computer-generated randomisation. In the tumescent group, we carefully administered a tumescent solution into the pre-peritoneal space after creating pneumoperitoneum and then compared the effectiveness and safety of the two procedures.

Results: Our study revealed significant differences in various aspects between the two groups. In the conventional group, 16.7% of patients experienced challenging peritoneal flap dissection, while none in the tumescent group faced this issue. In addition, none of the patients in the tumescent group had an intraoperative haemorrhage. The conventional group had a mean operating time of 100.4 ± 11.21 min. On the other hand, the tumescent group had a significantly shorter mean operating time of 84 ± 13.47 min. The complication rates were 16.7% in the tumescent group and 30% in the conventional group. After the surgery, 13.3% of patients in the conventional group reported persistent pain, compared to only one patient in the tumescent group, which was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that tumescent TAPP can overcome the challenges of conventional TAPP surgery, offering practical benefits such as reduced bleeding, easier dissection, decreased post-operative pain and shorter operating time. Administering tumescent solution before TAPP repair of inguinal hernia provides technical and clinical advantages, suggesting the potential for shorter surgeries and a quicker learning curve.