To summarize clinical experience of re-repair for recurrent hernia after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) using laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair with the surgical method of replacing mesh by bypassing the previous mesh T-shaped transected hernia sac, and explore the safety and reliability of this method.

Fifty-five recurrent cases after laparoscopic preperitoneal repair for inguinal hernia in Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from March 2010 to June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Intraoperatively, the distal hernia sac and the previous mesh were retained and the new mesh was replaced with the high T-shaped transected hernia sac.

All the surgery were successfully completed without converting to open surgery. The average surgical time was (60.2±18.1) minutes. The postoperative hospital stay was 1 to 5 daays. Postoperative urinary retention occurred in 3 (5.5%) cases and seroma in the inguinal region in 3 (5.5%) cases. No intestinal injury, bladder injury, or mesh infection occurred. Follow-up was performed by telephone or mail for 4 to 28 months, showing no recurrence.

It is feasible to treat recurrent inguinal hernia after LIHR by TAPP with T-shaped transected hernia sac and mesh exclusion. Because the high T-shaped hernia sac is transected, peeling off the previous surgical wound is avoided and the original mesh is retained, which makes the surgery safer.