Objective: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery has recently been a preferred surgical approach among pediatric surgeons. The aim of this study is to compare open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair techniques in terms of complications and recurrences in children. Method: Patients whose inguinal hernias were operated with laparoscopic percutaneous internal ring suturing technique and open high ligation technique were included in the study. Dermographic data, surgical details and postoperative complications of the patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results: A total of 246 patients were included in the study. Among them 113 patients underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair and 133 patients open inguinal hernia repair. The mean age of patients in the laparoscopic group was 27.7 months (1-192 months) and the mean age of patients in the open surgery group was 27.5 months (1-156 months). Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed in 104 patients who underwent open surgery, and the contralateral inguinal hernia repair was performed in 33 of the patients after hernia was detected on the contralateral side. Recurrence was observed in 2.6% (n=3) of the patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery and 3.7%(n=5) of the patients undergoing open surgery. In 2 of the patients who underwent laparos- copic surgery had hematomas that resolved without intervention and 1 had hydrocele. On the other hand 4 of the patients who underwent open surgery had iatrogenic undescended testis and 1 had hydrocele. The follow-up periods of the patients who underwent laparoscopic or open surgery were 13.2, and 74 months, respectively. Conclusion: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has results comparable to open repair in terms of recurrence and complications. The advantage of the laparoscopic method can be considered as the ability to evaluate the contralateral side in all cases without increase in the risk of recur- rence and complications, and the ability to operate without scarring , but with good cosmetic results.
