Abstract
Introduction
The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in daily clinical practice.
Patients and methods
All patients admitted to the hospital for surgery of an inguinal hernia during a 1-year period were prospectively documented and included in a follow-up study. The follow-up was performed at least 5 years after surgery and consisted of a clinical examination, ultrasound investigation and a questionnaire.
Results
From January 2000 to January 2001 a total of 1208 inguinal hernias in 952 patients were consecutively operated by a total of 11 general surgeons in daily clinical routine. Of the patients, 98.02 % were operated on laparoscopically with the transabdominal preperitoneal patch plasty technique (TAPP) and 1.98 % had an open repair. The frequency of intraoperative and early postoperative complications was 2.8 %. The complication rate in the patients presenting a complex hernia was not higher than in patients with uncomplicated unilateral hernias. Life-threatening complications were seen in four patients (bowel lesion—0.4 %), but all four patients presented extensive adhesions in the abdominal cavity after previous abdominal surgery. The follow-up rate after 5 years was 85.3 %. After 5 years the recurrence rate was 0.4 % and the rate of severe chronic pain 0.59 %. None of the patients took analgesics or had to change his occupation.
Conclusion
Laparoscopic repair can be applied to all types of inguinal hernia as a daily routine procedure with low rates of recurrences and chronic pain. Limiting factor may be extensive adhesions after previous major surgery in the lower abdomen.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cavazzola LT, Rosen MJ (2013) Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair. Surg Clin North Am 93(5):1269–1279 (Review)
Leibl B, Däubler P, Schwarz J, Ulrich M, Bittner R (1995) Standardized laparoscopic hernioplasty vs. Shouldice repair. Results of a randomized comparative study. Chirurg 66(9):895–898
Bittner R, Leibl B, Kraft K, Däubler P, Schwarz J (1996) Laparoscopic hernioplasty (TAPP)—complications and recurrences in 900 operations. Zentralbl Chir 121(4):313–319
Leibl B, Schwarz J, Däubler P, Kraft K, Bittner R (1996) Endoscopic hernia surgery (TAPP)—gold standard in management of recurrent hernias? Chirurg 67(12):1226–1230
Bittner R, Kraft K, Schmedt CG, Schwarz J, Leibl B (1998) Risks and benefits of laparoscopic hernia-plasty (TAPP). 5 years experiences with 3,400 hernia repairs. Chirurg 69(8):854–858
Leibl BJ, Schmedt CG, Schwarz J, Däubler P, Kraft K, Schlossnickel B, Bittner R (1998) A single institution’s experience with transperitoneal laparoscopic hernia repair. Am J Surg 175(6):446–451 (discussion 452)
Bittner R, Schmedt CG, Schwarz J, Kraft K, Leibl BJ (2002) Laparoscopic transperitoneal procedure for routine repair of groin hernia. Br J Surg 89(8):1062–1066
Bittner R, Schmedt C-G, Leibl BJ (2003) Transabdominal pre-peritoneal approach. In: LeBlanc K (ed) Laparoscopic hernia surgery, 1st edn. Arnold, London, pp 53–64
Bittner R, Schwarz J (2012) Inguinal hernia repair: current surgical techniques. Langenbecks Arch Surg 397(2):271–282 (Review)
McCarthy M Jr, Chang CH, Pickard AS, Giobbie-Hurder A, Price DD, Jonasson O, Gibbs J, Fitzgibbons R, Neumayer L (2005) Visual analog scales for assessing surgical pain. J Am Coll Surg 201(2):245–252
Fujita F, Lahmann B, Otsuka K, Lyass S, Hiatt JR, Phillips EH (2004) Quantification of pain and satisfaction following laparoscopic and open hernia repair. Arch Surg 139:596–602
Bökeler U, Schwarz J, Bittner R, Zacheja S, Smaxwil C (2013) Teaching and training in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (TAPP): impact of the learning curve on patient outcome. Surg Endosc 27(8):2886–2893
Stoppa RE, Rives JL, Warlaumont CR, Palot JP, Verhaeghe PJ, Delattre JF (1984) The use of Dacron in the repair of hernias of the groin. Surg Clin North Am 64:269–285
Neumayer L, Giobbie-Hurder A, Jonasson O, Fitzgibbons R Jr, Dunlop D, Gibbs J, Reda D, Henderson W, Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program 456 Investigators (2004) Open mesh versus laparoscopic mesh repair of inguinal hernia. N Engl J Med 350:1819–1827
Strate T, Mann O, Izbicki JR (2004) Open mesh versus laparoscopic mesh hernia repair. N Engl J Med 351:1463–1465 author reply 1463–1465
Simons MP, Aufenacker T, Bay-Nielsen M, Bouillot JL, Campanelli G, Conze J, de Lange D, Fortelny R, Heikkinen T, Kingsnorth A, Kukleta J, Morales-Conde S, Nordin P, Schumpelick V, Smedberg S, Smietanski M, Weber G, Miserez M (2009) European Hernia Society guidelines on the treatment of inguinal hernia in adult patients. Hernia 13:343–403
Bittner R, Arregui ME, Bisgaard T, Dudai M, Ferzli GS, Fitzgibbons RJ, Fortelny RH, Klinge U, Kockerling F, Kuhry E, Kukleta J, Lomanto D, Misra MC, Montgomery A, Morales-Conde S, Reinpold W, Rosenberg J, Sauerland S, Schug-Pass C, Singh K, Timoney M, Weyhe D, Chowbey P (2011) Guidelines for laparoscopic (TAPP) and endoscopic (TEP) treatment of inguinal hernia (International Endohernia Society [IEHS]). Surg Endosc 25:2773–2843
McCormack K, Wake BL, Perez J, Fraser C, Cook J, McIntosh E, Vale L, Grant A (2005) Laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia repair: systemic review of effectiveness and economic evaluation. Health Technol Assess 9:1–203
Kuhry E, van Veen RN, Langeveld HR, Steyerberg EW, Jeekel J, Bonjer HJ (2007) Open or endoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair? A systematic review. Surg Endosc 21:161–166
Langeveld HR, van’t Riet M, Weidema WF, Stassen LP, Steyerberg EW, Lange J, Bonjer HJ, Jeekel J (2010) Total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair compared with Lichtenstein (the LEVEL-Trial): a randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg 251:819–824
Bittner R, Montgomery MA, Arregui E, Bansal V, Bingener J, Bisgaard T, Buhck H, Dudai M, Ferzli GS, Fitzgibbons RJ, Fortelny RH, Grimes KL, Klinge U, Köckerling F, Kumar S, Kukleta J, Lomanto D, Misra MC, Morales-Conde S, Reinpold W, Rosenberg J, Singh K, Timoney M, Weyhe D, Chowbey P (2015) International Endohernia Society. Update of guidelines on laparoscopic (TAPP) and endoscopic (TEP) treatment of inguinal hernia (International Endohernia Society). Surg Endosc 29(2):289–321
Bittner R, Gmähle E, Gmähle B, Schwarz J, Aasvang E, Kehlet H (2010) Lightweight mesh and noninvasive fixation: an effective concept for prevention of chronic pain with laparoscopic hernia repair (TAPP). Surg Endosc 24:2958–2964
Aasvang EK, Gmaehle E, Hansen JB, Gmaehle B, Forman JL, Schwarz J, Bittner R, Kehlet H (2010) Predictive risk factors for persistent postherniotomy pain. Anesthesiology 112:957–969
Poobalan AS, Bruce J, Smith WC, King PM, Krukowski ZH, Chambers WA (2003) A review of chronic pain after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Clin J Pain 19(1):48–54
Bay-Nielsen M, Nilsson E, Nordin P, Kehlet H (2004) Swedish hernia data base the danish hernia data base. Chronic pain after open mesh and sutured repair of indirect inguinal hernia in young males. Br J Surg 91(10):1372–1376
Antoniou SA, Koehler G, Antoniou GA, Muysoms FE, Pointner R, Granderath F-A (2016) Meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing nonpenetrating vs mechanical mesh fixation in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Am J Surg 211(1):239–249
Schmedt CG, Sauerland S, Bittner R (2005) Comparison of endoscopic procedures vs. Lichtenstein and other open mesh techniques for inguinal hernia repair: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Surg Endosc 19:188–199
Hasson HM (1984) Open laparoscopy. Biomed Bull 5(1):1–6
Leibl BJ, Schmedt CG, Kraft K, Kraft B, Bittner R (2001) Laparoscopic transperitoneal hernia repair of incarcerated hernias: Is it feasible? Results of a prospective study. Surg Endosc 15:1179–1183
Leibl BJ, Schmedt CG, Kraft K, Ulrich M, Bittner R (2000) Scrotal hernias: a contraindication for an endoscopic procedure? Results of a single-institution experience in transabdominal preperitoneal repair. Surg Endosc 14:289–292
Wauschkuhn CA, Schwarz J, Bittner R (2009) Laparoscopic transperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TAPP) after radical prostatectomy: is it safe? Results of prospectively collected data of more than 200 cases. Surg Endosc 23:973–977
Leibl BJ, Schmedt CG, Kraft K, Ulrich M, Bittner R (2000) Recurrence after endoscopic transperitoneal hernia repair (TAPP): causes, reparative techniques, and results of the reoperation. J Am Coll Surg 190:651–655
Kraft BM, Kolb H, Kuckuk B, Haaga S, Leibl BJ, Kraft K, Bittner R (2003) Diagnosis and classification of inguinal hernias. Surg Endosc 17(12):2021–2024
Bendavid R, Abrahamson J, Arregui ME, Flament JB, Phillips EH (eds) (2001) Abdominal wall hernias: principles and management. Springer, New York
Fitzgibbons RJ Jr, Greenberg AG (2001) Nyhus and Condon’s hernia, 5th edn. Lippincott William & Wilkins, Philadelphia
Wauschkuhn CA, Schwarz J, Boekeler U, Bittner R (2010) Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair: Gold standard in bilateral hernia repair? Results of more than 2800 patients in comparison to literature. Surg Endosc 24:3026–3030
Köckerling F, Schug-Pass C, Adolf D, Keller T, Kuthe A (2015) Bilateral and unilateral total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TEP) have equivalent early outcomes: analysis of 9395 cases. World J Surg 39(8):1887–1894
Wittenbecher F, Scheller-Kreinsen D, Röttger J, Busse R (2013) Comparison of hospital costs and length of stay associated with open-mesh, totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair, and transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: an analysis of observational data using propensity score matching. Surg Endosc 27(4):1326–1333
Coronini-Cronberg S, Appleby J, Thompson J (2013) Application of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) data to estimate cost-effectiveness of hernia surgery in England. J R Soc Med 106:278–287
Acknowledgments
We are grateful for the kind assistance of Dr.G. Blumenstock, Institute for Medical Biometry, University of Tübingen, in statistical analysis of the data.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Disclosures
Florian Muschalla, Jochen Schwarz and Reinhard Bittner have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Muschalla, F., Schwarz, J. & Bittner, R. Effectivity of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (TAPP) in daily clinical practice: early and long-term result. Surg Endosc 30, 4985–4994 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-016-4843-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-016-4843-8