Laparoscopic total extra-peritoneal inguinal hernia repairs by a surgeon experienced at laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Objective: to measure standards achieved at total extra peritoneal hernia repair by a surgeon experienced in laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and to compare the results with standards identified by the national institute for clinical excellence. methods: the outcomes of the first 100 consecutive total extra-peritoneal hernia repair cases by the surgeon were retrieved retrospectively. the surgeries were conducted between january 2006 and july 2007. data was collected 14 to 17 months post-surgery. results: all patients were men with a median age of 58 years, ranging from 20 to 91 years. the maximum operating time was 75 minutes, while the minimum was 30 minutes. the conversion rate was 3% (n=3) and the recurrence rate 4% (n=4). complications experienced included a chronic groin pain and one umbilical port-site haematoma. conclusion: though related to a single-surgeon experience, the study highlighted reduced preceptorship due to previous laparoscopic skills that were transferable. patients should have a choice to opt for either open or laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.