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2026, Vol: 10, Issue: 3
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Review Article
Online Published: 06 Jan 2026
 


Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review

Abdullah Eid Alsubhi, Ahmed Mohammed Alsubhi, Abdulrahman Abdullatif Ghabrah, Sarah Mohammed Al Bishr, Rahil Abdulaziz Aboareef, Ismail Ishaq Suqati, Mohammed Aref Balhareth, Ahmed Abdullah Alfayez.


Abstract
Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common general surgical procedures worldwide. While open mesh repair has traditionally been standard, laparoscopic approaches such as totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair are increasingly used. This review compares laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair in adults to summarize current evidence on clinical outcomes.
A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Google Scholar was conducted. Randomized controlled trials and comparative observational studies evaluating laparoscopic (TEP/TAPP) versus open mesh repair in adults were included. Outcomes assessed included postoperative pain, operative time, complications, recurrence, and return to normal activity. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools.
Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria (6 RCTs, 8 observational). Most studies reported lower postoperative pain with laparoscopic repair. For example, one RCT showed chronic pain rates of 3.4% after TEP versus 22.1% after Lichtenstein repair, and another reported early postoperative VAS scores of 2.9 vs. 3.7, respectively. Return to normal activities was consistently faster with laparoscopy, with several trials showing recovery 3–6 days earlier. Operative time was longer for laparoscopic repair in most studies, often by 20–30 minutes. Recurrence rates were comparable between approaches, generally ranging from 1–4% for both laparoscopic and open repairs. Complication rates varied across studies but showed no consistent advantage for either technique. Risk-of-bias assessment indicated frequent high risk in blinding domains among RCTs and serious confounding in all non-randomized studies.
Laparoscopic repair, particularly TEP, is associated with less postoperative and chronic pain and faster recovery, while recurrence and complication rates are similar to open repair. Given the methodological limitations of available studies, further high-quality comparative research with standardized outcome reporting is needed.

Key words: Inguinal hernia repair, laparoscopic TEP, open Lichtenstein technique, postoperative pain, surgical outcomes.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Alsubhi AE, Alsubhi AM, Ghabrah AA, Bishr SMA, Aboareef RA, Suqati II, Balhareth MA, Alfayez AA. Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. IJMDC. 2025; 9(12): 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941

Web Style

Alsubhi AE, Alsubhi AM, Ghabrah AA, Bishr SMA, Aboareef RA, Suqati II, Balhareth MA, Alfayez AA. Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=298696 [Access: January 16, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alsubhi AE, Alsubhi AM, Ghabrah AA, Bishr SMA, Aboareef RA, Suqati II, Balhareth MA, Alfayez AA. Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. IJMDC. 2025; 9(12): 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alsubhi AE, Alsubhi AM, Ghabrah AA, Bishr SMA, Aboareef RA, Suqati II, Balhareth MA, Alfayez AA. Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. IJMDC. (2025), [cited January 16, 2026]; 9(12): 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941


Harvard Style

Alsubhi, A. E., Alsubhi, . A. M., Ghabrah, . A. A., Bishr, . S. M. A., Aboareef, . R. A., Suqati, . I. I., Balhareth, . M. A. & Alfayez, . A. A. (2025) Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. IJMDC, 9 (12), 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941


Turabian Style

Alsubhi, Abdullah Eid, Ahmed Mohammed Alsubhi, Abdulrahman Abdullatif Ghabrah, Sarah Mohammed Al Bishr, Rahil Abdulaziz Aboareef, Ismail Ishaq Suqati, Mohammed Aref Balhareth, and Ahmed Abdullah Alfayez. 2025. Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 9 (12), 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941


Chicago Style

Alsubhi, Abdullah Eid, Ahmed Mohammed Alsubhi, Abdulrahman Abdullatif Ghabrah, Sarah Mohammed Al Bishr, Rahil Abdulaziz Aboareef, Ismail Ishaq Suqati, Mohammed Aref Balhareth, and Ahmed Abdullah Alfayez. "Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 9 (2025), 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Alsubhi, Abdullah Eid, Ahmed Mohammed Alsubhi, Abdulrahman Abdullatif Ghabrah, Sarah Mohammed Al Bishr, Rahil Abdulaziz Aboareef, Ismail Ishaq Suqati, Mohammed Aref Balhareth, and Ahmed Abdullah Alfayez. "Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 9.12 (2025), 3299-3309. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alsubhi, A. E., Alsubhi, . A. M., Ghabrah, . A. A., Bishr, . S. M. A., Aboareef, . R. A., Suqati, . I. I., Balhareth, . M. A. & Alfayez, . A. A. (2025) Laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia repair in adults: a systematic review. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 9 (12), 3299-3309. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1763877941




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