Effects of obesity on outcomes of laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: a retrospective analysis

INTRODUCTION Inguinal hernia repair, particularly the transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) technique, is common worldwide. Obesity (body mass index [BMI] >= 30 kg/m(2)) can influence surgical outcomes, potentially resulting in longer operative time, higher complication rate, and prolonged hospital stay. AIM This study aimed to evaluate the impact of obesity on surgical outcomes following laparoscopic TAPP inguinal hernia repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed data from patients who underwent laparoscopic TAPP inguinal hernia repair between September 2021 and December 2023. We included patients aged 18 years or older who had elective unilateral TAPP repair for primary inguinal hernia. The patients were categorized based their BMI as obese (BMI >= 30 kg/m(2)) and nonobese (BMI <30 kg/m(2)). Outcomes assessed included recurrence rate, surgical site infections (SSIs), operative time, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS We analyzed 201 patients of whom 30 (14.8%) were obese and 171 (85.2%) were nonobese. Recurrence rates were 6.67% in the obese and 2.35% in the nonobese patients (P = 0.222). No SSIs were observed in the obese patients, as compared with 1.76% in the nonobese individuals (P = 1). Mean (SD) operative time was 78.87 (31.88) minutes for the obese and 70.28 (27.25) minutes for the nonobese patients (P = 0.203). Mean (SD) hospital stay was 3.13 (0.35) days for the patients with and 3.05 (0.28) days for those without obesity (P = 0.086). CONCLUSIONS There were no significant differences in recurrence rates, SSIs, operative time, or hospital stay between the obese and nonobese patients. Appropriate surgical expertise and perioperative management can result in comparable outcomes for both groups. Further research is recommended to understand the impact of obesity on hernia recurrence.