Laparoscopic hernia repair in children: does recreating the open operation improve outcomes? A systematic review

PURPOSE: The use of laparoscopy for paediatric inguinal hernia repairs has increased significantly over the past 2 decades. However, there is significant variation in the reported recurrence rates in the literature, with many studies reporting higher rates than the open operation. This may be explained by the range of different techniques currently included under the term laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. The purpose of this study is to determine whether dividing the hernia sac before ligation improves surgical outcomes following a paediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair compared to ligation alone. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed following PRISMA guidelines of all studies reporting the outcomes following paediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair where the technique was recorded as laparoscopic suture ligation alone (LS) or laparoscopic sac division and suture ligation (LSDS). Studies were assessed for risk of bias and exclusion criteria included reported follow-up of less than 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 8518 LS repairs and 6272 LSDS repairs were included in the final analysis. LSDS repair was associated with a significantly lower recurrence rate (odds ratio 0.51, 95% CI 0.36–0.71, p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the rates of testicular ascent or atrophy. CONCLUSION: Recreating the open operation by hernia sac division followed by suture ligation significantly reduces the risk of hernia recurrence. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10029-023-02772-5.