To compare the difference in postoperative effects between standard polypropylene (SP) mesh and partial absorbable (PA) mesh in preperitoneal hernioplasty.

A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted to investigate 148 male patients with unilateral inguinal hernia in the Second Hospital of Jilin University between January 2018 and September 2018. They were randomly divided into two groups: SP mesh group (73 patients) and the PA mesh group (75 patients). A tension-free repair using the preperitoneal hernioplasty technique was performed on all patients. The postoperative hospital stay, seroma, mesh infection, postoperative pain, recurrence, foreign body sensation and hospital cost were compared between the two groups, as well as the patients' quality of life was evaluated by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form (SF) 36 questionnaire which was completed by the patient.

No statistical difference was observed for average length of stay, incidence of seroma, mesh infection rate and recurrence rate between the two groups (P>0.05). There were significant differences in pain at 6 months after operation (P<0.001), foreign body sensation (P=0.016 8) and hospital cost (P<0.001) between the two groups. No statistical difference was observed for SF-36 score between the two groups (P>0.05).

Implantation of partial absorbable mesh can ameliorate postoperative pain and foreign sensation but will need more curative cost for patients. Neither of the mesh would affect the quality of patients' life after operation.