COMPARISON OF CHANGE IN QUALITY OF LIFE BETWEEN ROBOTIC AND LAPAROSCOPIC TAPP IN INGUINAL HERNIA; A NON - INFERIORITY RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

The study titled "Comparison of Change in Quality of Life Between Robotic and Laparoscopic TAPP in Inguinal Hernia: A Non-Inferiority Randomised Controlled Trial" is a single-centre, single-blinded, prospective randomized controlled trial being conducted at AIIMS, New Delhi. It aims to evaluate whether robotic TAPP is non-inferior to laparoscopic TAPP in terms of postoperative quality of life, using the EURAHS-QoL score. A total of 38 patients with primary unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia, aged between 18 and 70 years, will be enrolled and randomized into two groups. The primary outcome is the change in quality of life at 24 hours, 7 days, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include operative time, postoperative complications, recurrence, hospital stay, chronic inguinodynia, as well as surgeon satisfaction (Likert scale) and workload (SURG-TLX score). The sample size was calculated to detect a 1-unit non-inferiority margin in QoL score with 90% power and 5% significance. All surgeries will be conducted using standardized techniques by trained surgeons, and no additional financial burden will be placed on participants.