In total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair, placing drainage tube improves postoperative recovery

• A total of 122 patients undergoing TEP surgery were screened, of which 22 were excluded. Most of the patients were male with right indirect inguinal hernia.

• There was no difference in the mean length of hospital stay between the two groups. Postoperative pain was alleviated by preperitoneal closed‑suction drainage 24 h after operation (p = 0.03).

• The rate of complications such as scrotal edema, seroma and urinary retention in the drainage group was significantly lower than that in the non-drainage group (p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that drainage was beneficial to reduce postoperative complications

• In addition, it was worth noting that in subgroup analysis, patients with hernia sac volume > 10 cm3 might receive more clinical benefits by placing drainage tube.

In total extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair, placing drainage tube is a simple and feasible traditional surgical treatment, which can promote postoperative recovery without increasing the risk of infection, especially in patients with large hernia sac volume.

Reference:

Wu, G., Shi, D., Chen, M. et al. Laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair with preperitoneal closed-suction drainage reduced postoperative complications. BMC Surg 23, 14 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-022-01900-9