Effectiveness of TAPP vs Rutkow Robbins for the management of inguinal hernia

Abstract

Although laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair was described over 27 years ago as an alternative to conventional repairs, most hernias worldwide are repaired using an open anterior approach. Objective: To compare the efficacy of the transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) laparoscopic technique versus the Rutkow Robbins technique in the surgical management of inguinal hernia. Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted. Twenty cases operated laparoscopically and 32 cases operated using the Rutkow Robbins technique were included. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the evaluated variables, except for the surgical time, which had a mean of 101.15 minutes (±23.87) for TAPP versus 60.9 minutes (±11.74) for Rutkow Robbins, with a p-value of 0.00054. Conclusion: With the standardization of the use of laparoscopic surgery, as well as concepts for understanding the anatomy of the inguinal region, complication rates decrease, demonstrating the applicability of laparoscopic surgery in inguinal hernia repair.