Comparative Analysis of Open vs. Laparoscopic Hernia Repair: Outcomes and Complications
Keywords:
Inguinal hernia repair, Inguinal hernia repair, Laparoscopic surgery, Laparoscopic surgery, Open surgery, Open surgery, Postoperative outcomes, Postoperative outcomes, Surgical site infection, Surgical site infection, Cost-effectiveness, Cost-effectivenessAbstract
Background: Open and laparoscopic methods form the basis of inguinal hernia repair, one of the most commonly performed surgical operations in the world today. Controversy lies over which technique to employ, for experiences differ in some aspects of recovery postoperatively and complications associated with procedures versus costs involved. This systematic review compares and contrasts these two approaches to inguinal hernia repair by looking at postoperative outcomes as well as various complications and patient-specific factors.
Methods: A systematic review was carried out by combining 32 studies with an overall number of 8542 patients who underwent open or laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Operative time, pain scores, postoperative hospital stay, surgical site infections (SSIs), recurrence rates, and costs were extracted and evaluated. Pooled estimates, odds ratios, and mean differences were used in the statistical analysis of data, with subgroups done on BMI and comorbidities.
Results: Overall, laparoscopy had a longer average operative time (67 minutes vs. 52 minutes) but showed lower SSI rates (2.1% vs. 4.6%), shorter hospital stays (1.8 days vs. 2.4 days), and reduced immediate postoperative pain. Advantages of open repair include reduced operative times which entail cost-effectiveness especially in resource-limited settings. Recurrence rates were statistically the same(1.9% vs. 2.3%). However, in the subgroup analysis, laparoscopic techniques were found to be more effective for overweight patients.
Conclusion: Open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs have their respective advantages, as although laparoscopic repair had greater control over infection and recovery, open repair was cheaper. Individualization of surgical decisions based on patient factors and health care resource availability is essential
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