To analyze the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repair in the treatment of the right inguinal hernia with history of appendectomy.

From September 2020 to September 2022, the clinical data of 73 patients with right or bilateral inguinal hernia who underwent laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repair (TEP) at the General Surgery Department of the 991st Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army was retrospectively analyzed. According to whether they had a history of appendectomy, they were divided into a study group (after appendectomy group) and a control group (without surgery history group). The operation-related indicators,, postoperative pain degree, postoperative recovery, total hospitalization cost, and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.

All the patients in the two groups successfully underwent TEP with no perioperative death; the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hernia sac diameter, incidence of intraoperative peritoneal injury, number of intraoperative peritoneal injuries, amount of plastic clamp used and incidence of medical glue used in the two groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). No case in the study group was converted to the transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair (TAPP) or open surgery, and 2 cases in the control group were converted to TAPP, but there was no significant difference in the convert rate between the two groups (P=0.504). There was no significant difference in the time to get out of bed, postoperative hospital stay, or total hospitalization cost between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the VAS score of the postoperative day, the VAS score of the next day, or the postoperative pain duration between the two groups. There were 2 cases of seroma and 1 case of bladder injury in the study group, and 5 cases of seroma and no bladder damage in the control group. In all cases, the follow-up time was 2 to 24 months, and the middle follow-up time was six months. There was no chronic pain in either group. There was no recurrence in the study group, but one recurrence in the control group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P>0.05).

TEP is safe and feasible in the treatment of the right inguinal hernia with a history of appendectomy.