Glued suture-less peritoneum closure in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair reduces acute postoperative pain.

Inguinal hernia repair is performed more than 20 million times per annum, representing a significant health and economic burden. Over the last three decades, significant technical advances have started to reduce the invasiveness of these surgeries, which translated to better recovery and reduced costs. Here we bring forward an innovative surgical technique using a biodegradable cyanoacrylate glue instead of a traumatic suture to close the peritoneum, which is a highly innervated tissue layer, at the end of endoscopy hernia surgery. To test how this affects the invasiveness of hernia surgery, we conducted a cohort study. A total of 183 patients that underwent minimally invasive hernia repair, and the peritoneum was closed with either a conventional traumatic suture (n = 126, 68.9%) or our innovative approach using glue (n = 57, 31.1%). The proportion of patients experiencing acute pain after surgery was significantly reduced (36.8 vs. 54.0%, p = 0.032) by using glue instead of a suture. In accordance, the mean pain level was higher in the suture group (VAS = 1.5 vs. 1.3, p = 0.029) and more patients were still using painkillers (77.9 vs. 52.4%, p = 0.023). Furthermore, the rate of complications was not increased in the glue group. Using multivariate regressions, we identified that using a traumatic suture was an independent predictor of acute postoperative pain (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.9, p = 0.042). In conclusion, suture-less glue closure of the peritoneum is innovative, safe, less painful, and possibly leads to enhanced recovery and decreased health costs.

Sutureless Lichtenstein: first results of a prospective randomised clinical trial.

Inguinal hernia repair, according to Lichtenstein, is very popular due to its minimal invasiveness (local anaesthesia), easy and reproducible technique, low recurrence rate, and low morbidity. However, recent publications demonstrate an elevated rate of chronic irritations and pain, probably due to tension or nerve compression by the fixing sutures. We, therefore, established a concept to avoid these sutures by attaching the prosthesis with glue. After a pilot study, a randomised prospective trial was started. The aim of our study was to compare the results of the classical Lichtenstein repair (group 1) vs the "Sutureless Lichtenstein" (group 2) in terms of postoperative complications and recurrences. Operative access and management of the hernial sac was equal to Lichtenstein for both groups. In group 1, we sutured the mesh with PDS 2/0; in group 2, the mesh was glued with n-butyl-cyanoacrylate. In both groups, the operation was then completed according to Lichtenstein, and unrestricted activity was allowed after 2 weeks. A total of 46 patients have been operated on. The follow-up results at 3 weeks and [3 months] were: group 1 ( n=24) vs group 2 ( n=22): recurrences 0 [0] vs 0 [0], minor pain 8 [4] vs 4 [1], local numbness 14 [10] vs 10 [6]. No adhesive-related complications were seen. Patients will be followed for 2 years. The results in group 2 were excellent, and there was no difference vs group 1. Furthermore, there was a tendency for better results in group 2. These results are very promising and justify a continuation of the study.