To compare the postoperative pain and to analyze risk factors of chronic pain in patients under inguinal hernia repair via different surgical approaches.

A total of 150 cases with inguinal hernia in Guangdong Province Second Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital were randomly divided into the tension-free group (75 cases) and the laparoscope group (75 cases). The tension-free group used tension-free hernia repair, and the laparoscope group used laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. The acute pain and chronic pain were compared between two groups, and the risk factors of chronic pain were analyzed by Logistic model.

The operation time of the laparoscopic group was longer than that in the tension-free group, and the postoperative hospitalization time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative time to get out of bed were lower than those in the tension-free group, with significant differences (P<0.05). The scores of social function, physiological function, emotional function, mental state, physical pain and energy in the laparoscopic group were higher than those in the tension-free group, with significant differences (P<0.05). The scores of pain in the laparoscopic group at 1d, 3d, and 5d after surgery were lower than those in the tension-free group, with significant differences (P<0.05). The rate of pain at 6 months and 12 months after surgery in the laparoscopic group were 4.00% and 2.67%, respectively, and those in the tension-free group were 3.33% and 12.00%, with significant difference (P<0.05). The Logistic regression analysis showed that age < 45 years, female, smoking history, hernia ring diameter > 3.0 cm and incision infection were risk factors for chronic pain at 6 months after surgery. However, the laparoscopic was the protective factor of the chronic pain.

The laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair can reduce early postoperative pain, and is a protective factor for chronic pain after inguinal hernia repair.