To investigate the effect of mesh fixation after TAPP surgery on postoperative complications in patients with inguinal hernia.

Clinical data of 434 patients with an inguinal hernia who visited the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Yantian District People's Hospital of Shenzhen, and Pingshan District People's Hospital of Shenzhen from May 18, 2019 to March 30, 2023 were collected. According to whether the mesh was fixed or not during the operation, they were divided into a fixed mesh group (95 cases) and a non-fixed mesh group (339 cases). Statistical methods were used to analyze the effects of mesh fixation during TAPP surgery on postoperative pain scores, serum swelling, incision infection, chronic pain, and recurrence in patients with inguinal hernia.

The pain score of the fixed mesh group was 2.05±0.755, while the pain score of the non-fixed mesh group was 1.06±0.600. The postoperative pain level of the fixed mesh group was stronger than that of the non-fixed mesh group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of serum swelling and incision infection between the fixed mesh group and the non-fixed mesh group (P>0.05); The incidence of postoperative chronic pain in the fixed mesh group was 6.3%, while in the non-fixed mesh group it was 2.1%. The incidence of postoperative chronic pain in the fixed mesh group was higher than that in the non-fixed mesh group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The presence or absence of mesh fixation did not affect the 1-year recurrence rate of TAPP surgery, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).

Mesh fixation or not during TAPP surgery does not affect early hernia recurrence, and mesh fixation increases the incidence of postoperative pain and chronic pain. Therefore, for general hernias, mesh fixation is not required during TAPP surgery.