Inguinal hernia repairs are one of the most common procedures performed in general surgical departments. Approximately 20 million hernia repairs are performed annually all over the world. According to the EHS guidelines, the recommended treatment methods of the inguinal hernia are tension-free techniques: the Lichtenstein open hernia repair and the laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) and totally extraperitoneal (TEP) methods. The TEP hernia repair, first performed by Duluq in 1992, is one of the three current leading techniques in the inguinal hernia repair. The most important advantage of this technique is minimal invasive access without the need to open the peritoneum, which carries a lower risk of abdominal organs injury. Additionally, the TEP method facilitates shorter recovery time, less postoperative pain and an earlier discharge form hospital. The aim of the article is to present the TEP method by comparing it with the other inguinal hernia repair techniques, on the basis of the available literature.
Keywords: TEP; inguinal hernia; laparoscopy.