A comparison of transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) and total extraperitoneal approach (TEPA) laparoscopic herniorrhaphies.

There are a variety of accepted techniques for herniorrhaphy. With the advent of laparoscopic general surgery, laparoscopic transabdominal and total extraperitoneal techniques have been added to the many options for repair of the inguinal hernia. From 5/91 to 6/93 we had performed 290 transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) laparoscopic herniorrhaphies on 244 adult patients. Due to concerns of potential early and late complications associated with entering the abdominal cavity, we adopted the total extraperitoneal approach (TEPA) for laparoscopic herniorrhaphies in 6/93. Between 6/93 and 12/93, 118 hernias have been repaired in 95 patients using the total extraperitoneal approach. In a retrospective comparison between these two procedures, the recurrence rate is 1.7% (5/290) for TAPP herniorrhaphies and 0% (0/118) for the TEPA. The overall complication rate for TAPP herniorrhaphies was 11.1% and included thigh paresthesias (6), inferior epigastric artery injuries (4), enterotomy (1), bowel obstruction (1), bladder injury (1), and urinary retention (14). The overall complication rate for the TEPA was 3.2% and included bladder injury (1), and urinary retention (2). Mean operative time was similar between these groups (TAPP-81.2 minutes, TEPA-92.9 minutes).