Open or Laparoscopic Hernia Repair? A Comparative Prospective Study in the Turkish Population.

Objective: To investigate the impact of open (Lichtenstein) and laparoscopic techniques (transabdominal preperitoneal procedure (TAPP), and total extraperitoneal procedure (TEP)) for inguinal hernia repair, on quality of life within a heterogeneous patient population, and to compare the findings with the Turkish normative values.

Study design: An experimental study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of General Surgery, Samsun University Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkiye, from January to July 2023.

Methodology: Open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair techniques were prospectively compared using data from 128 patients, the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. A comparison of the SF-36 questionnaire data was made with the normative physical and mental function values representative of the Turkish population.

Results: A total of 64 patients underwent open surgery, while another 64 received laparoscopic surgery through randomisation. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding age, gender, complications, chronic pain, or quality of life. Compared to the normative values of the Turkish population, the laparoscopic technique demonstrated significantly better outcomes in women for physical functions (p <0.001) whereas the open technique showed significantly better results in men regarding role limitation due to emotional problems (p = 0.049).

Conclusion: For inguinal hernia repair in the Turkish population, the open technique may be recommended for male patients, while the laparoscopic technique may be more suitable for female patients. However, surgical expertise and the patients' clinical condition should also be taken into account when determining the appropriate surgical approach.

Key words: Lichtenstein, Transabdominal preperitoneal procedure, Total extraperitoneal procedure, Inguinal hernia, Quality of life, Short form 36.