To compare systemic inflammation, postoperative pain, and complications in the treatment of primary inguinal hernia by laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal and Lichtenstein procedure.

Data of 90 patients with unilateral inguinal hernia admitted to Fangshan district hospital of TCM from January 2018 to December 2019 were collected, including the levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, white blood cell count and neutrophils before operation, at 24 hours and 7 days after operation. Visual analogue score was used to quantify pain severity and to analyze the correlation between operative time and postoperative immune response.

There was no statistical difference in preoperative data between the two groups. There were no significant differences in the levels of CRP, IL-6, leukocytes, neutrophils and postoperative pain score at 24 hours after operation between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no difference in C-reactive protein levels or pain scores at 7 days postoperatively between the two groups (P>0.05). The duration of surgery was longer in the TAPP group than in the Lichtenstein group, and there was a weak correlation between the duration of surgery and the VAS score at 7 days postoperatively (R=0.32). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups during the follow-up period (P>0.05).

Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair does not have significant advantages over Lichtenstein procedure in terms of postoperative pain, immune response and complications, and the operative time is relatively longer.