A Comparative Analysis of Tacker Versus Suture Mesh Fixation in Laparoscopic Repair of Inguinal Hernia

Background: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common general surgical procedures in the world. Laparoscopic repair has been more preferred due to less surgical discomfort, quicker recovery and better aesthetics result. Mesh fixing is a standard procedure that is usually performed with sutures or tacker devices. The type of fixation used could impact the surgery time, pain after surgery, recurrence or complication rate. The aim is to compare the results of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair with the tacker mesh technique and suture meshes. Material and Methods: This prospective comparative study was performed during a period of 15 months and recruited 70 patients with inguinal hernia. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups – Group A, tacker mesh fixation and Group B, suture mesh fixation. Demographic parameters, operating time, complications during the surgery, complications after the surgery, pain scores in the postoperative period, hospital stay and recurrence were recorded. The observed differences between the two groups was evaluated statistically to find if they are significant or not. Results: Operating time was significantly shorter for the tacker group than the suture group. The tacker group had less postoperative pain (measured by a visual analog scale) during the immediate postoperative period. There was no significant difference in the rates of recurrence and problems reported in the total between the two cohorts. Minor complications like the development of seroma and hematoma happened in a similar fashion. There was a slight reduction in the length of hospital stay in the tacker group that was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Inguinal laparoscopic hernia repair with tacker and with suture mesh is both safe and successful. Tacker fixation results in reduced operating time and reduced pain in the early postoperative period without increasing the rates of complications or recur. The results support the use of tacker devices as a potential alternative to sutures, particularly in situations where surgical efficiency and patient comfort are critical.

Keywords: Inguinal hernia, Laparoscopic repair, Mesh fixation, Postoperative pain, Tacker, Suture.