To investigate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of reduced-port laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair (TEP), and to further reduce the rauma of inguinal hernia repair.

A total of 48 male patients with unilateral inguinal hernia in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2015 to January 2017 were enrolled. All of them were type I and II (Chinese Hernia Society), and were divided into 2 groups, three-port TEP and reduced-port TEP, 24 cases in each group.

The operation time of the patients in the redued-port group was (33.0±11.2) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss was (2.3±1.5) ml, and the pain score was (1.8±0.3) scores at 8 hours after surgery. Two of them had postoperative scrotal seroma, which absorbed in 2 weeks after surgery; the operation time of the three-port group was (31.0±12.8) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss was (3.1±0.5) ml, and the pain score was (1.9±0.5) score at 8 hours after surgery. One of the patients had scrotal seroma that absorbed in 2 weeks after surgery. All patients were discharged within 24 hours after surgery. The patients were followed up for 3 months to 2 years, and no recurrence was found.

The reduced-port TEP has a good effect and can be used as an alternative for inguinal hernia repair.