Multicentric evaluation by verbal rate scale and EuroQoL-5D of early and late post-operative pain after TAPP and TEP procedures with mechanical fixation for bilateral inguinal hernia

Aimed to evaluate the postoperative pain and other complications among two cohorts of patients undergone transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) and totally extraperitoneal (TEP) laparoscopic hernia repairs with mechanical fixation, the chart of 305 TAPP and 134 TEP for bilateral not recurrent inguinal hernias were reviewed. The postoperative pain was assessed by using the Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) at one week, one month, 3 months ad six months postoperatively. A subgroup of 60 patients was also administered the QoL EQ-5D questionnaire and follow up for at least 6 months. We found a statistically significant difference in the first day (p = 0.001), in the 7th day (p = 0.002), 30th, and 90th day (p = 0.008) between patients perception of pain in TAPP group and TEP group, but after the 180th day there was not any considerable distinction. On the short term the postoperative pain seems slightly lesser in TEP group.