The Evaluation of the Long-Term Quality of Life Effects of Laparoscopic Totally Extraperitoneal (TEP) and Lichtenstein Surgery in Inguinal Hernia Treatment

Inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia, presenting with swelling and pain in the groin area as clinical signs of abdominal wall hernias. The gold standard treatment for symptomatic inguinal hernias is surgery. There are various surgical methods for inguinal hernia repair. Tissue repair techniques such as Bassini, Shouldice, and McVay are no longer preferred due to their high recurrence rates, except in cases where mesh prosthetics are contraindicated. Tension-free mesh prosthesis-based anterior repairs and laparoscopic posterior repairs are the most frequently preferred methods in treatment. (1) In our study, we aimed to evaluate the quality of life index following laparoscopic extraperitoneal hernia repair using the most commonly preferred Lichtenstein technique. (2,3) The Short Form-36 (SF-36) scale is planned to be used for evaluating the quality of life index. SF-36 is one of the most commonly used generic measures for assessing quality of life. This scale examines eight dimensions of health, including physical function, social function, mental health, vitality (energy), pain, and general health perception, through 36 items. (4) Our study aims to determine which surgical method, based on long-term patient follow-up, stands out in improving the quality of life.