Impact of mesh fixation vs non-fixation in laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair on chronic groin pain and quality of life: a prospective randomized study

Aim A randomized controlled study comparing the impact of fixation vs non-fixation of mesh in laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernioplasty on chronic groin pain and quality of life of patients. Patients and methods This study includes 100 patients presented with primary unilateral indirect inguinal hernia treated at Benha University Hospital from June 2016 to August 2018. Patients were randomized to TAPP inguinal hernia repair with fixation of mesh (group A, n=50) and without fixation of mesh (group B, n=50). Parameters assessed included operative duration, time to early ambulation, postoperative pain, and postoperative complications and quality of life. Assessment of pain was done using the visual analog scale at 1 day, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. Evaluation of quality of life was done using the 36-item short-form health survey 3 months postoperatively. Results The mean operative duration and time to early ambulation in group B (without mesh fixation) were reduced significantly in comparison to group A (with mesh fixation). The visual analog scale score at 1 day, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery for group B was significantly lower than in group A. The physical function (PF), bodily pain (BP), role physical (RP), and general health (GH) in group B were significantly higher than group A while there is no statistically significant difference in vitality (VT), role emotional (RE), social function (SF), and mental health (MH) between group A and group B. Conclusion Mesh fixation and non-fixation in laparoscopic TAPP approach for the repair of inguinal hernia are comparable regarding operative duration, postoperative complications, and time to ambulation while pain scores and quality of life were significantly better in the non-fixation group.