Early outcomes of robotic transabdominal preperitoneal repair of inguinal hernias: A single surgeon's experience.

Introduction: Minimally invasive techniques for inguinal hernia repair are becoming more popular due to their advantages over open surgery. These techniques aim to strengthen weakened tissue and result in reduced complications, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery. Robotic surgery provides better visualisation and ergonomics for surgeons and less post-operative pain for patients. This study evaluates the early outcomes of robotic transabdominal preperitoneal repair (rTAPP) for inguinal hernia.

Patients and methods: The study included patients who underwent rTAPP for inguinal hernias. Patients with ventral or umbilical hernias were excluded. Data on patient and hernia characteristics, surgical details and outcomes were collected and analysed. The procedure was performed under general anaesthesia, with specific port placements. A mesh was used to cover the hernia defect the patients were followed up after discharge telephonically as well as through scheduled visits to the clinics.

Results: Forty-five patients underwent rTAPP for inguinal hernias between November 2019 and March 2023. The majority of patients were males (97.78%). The average age was 48.2 years. Most of the patients (80%) had unilateral defects. Only one patient had a recurrent hernia. The average operative time was 140 min. The complications were minimal. Three patients had post-operative seroma, and one had a repaired vas deferens injury with no adverse symptoms or fertility issues post-surgery.

Conclusion: rTAPP is a safe and feasible modality for treating inguinal hernias. It also offers a better three-dimensional visualisation of anatomy, thereby reducing complications due to faulty technique. It may serve as the procedure of choice for young surgeons seeking to learn robotic skills.