Groin Hernia in Females Routinely Treated by Totally Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Approach

There is a dearth of studies on laparoscopic treatment of female groin hernia. Our study assessed the outcome of groin hernia repair in females employing the totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic (TEP) access. Data of all females who were subjected to laparoscopic groin herniorrhaphy, from August 1998 to February 2020 were retrospectively obtained. Groin hernia repair was routinely started with TEP access. A total of 2,399 patients who underwent laparoscopic groin herniorrhaphy, 254 (10.6%), were females. Most females (n = 191; 75.2%) had single hernia and the remaining (n = 63; 24.8%) had bilateral hernias, making a total of 317 hernias operated. Indirect inguinal hernia was the most common hernia type (72.5%), followed by femoral hernia (17.4%) and direct hernia (10.1%). Prior lower abdominal operations were recorded in 97 (38.2%) patients. Conversion to a laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal procedure was performed due to technical difficulties to dissect the preperitoneal space in 17 patients (6.7%) and to open procedure in only one patient (0.4%) with incarcerated femoral hernia in whom an incidental perforation of the small bowel occurred. Intra- and postoperative complications occurred in 12 (4.7%) and 15 (5.9%) patients, respectively. There was no mortality. Most patients (n = 221; 87%) were discharged on the same day of the operation. Hernia recurrence was diagnosed in 6 patients (2.4%). It is concluded that females with groin hernia may be successfully treated with totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic access, with low conversion and complication rates.