Background: The laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TEP), unlike the Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair, allows for inspecting the femoral canal area for the presence of an occult femoral hernia.
Objectives: To determine the incidence of an unsuspected femoral hernia in patients undergoing TEP repair.
Material and methods: Data was collected prospectively from 180 patients (23 women) who underwent hernia repair, including examination of the femoral canal, between November 2017 and March 2019, and the incidence of a femoral hernia was determined. Correlations between the incidence of a femoral hernia and sex, age and the type of inguinal hernia diagnosed in the patients (indirect, direct, both indirect and direct) were assessed.
Results: Femoral hernias were found in 14 patients (7.77%). None of the hernias had previously been detected clinically. The incidence of a femoral hernia was higher in women (6/23, 26.07%) than in men (8/157, 5.09%). The incidence of a femoral hernia was higher in older patients: the average age of patients with a femoral hernia was 57.86 years (median: 60 years), whereas the average age of patients without a femoral hernia was 49.92 years (median: 49 years). However, the correlation was not statistically significant. No correlation was found between the incidence of a femoral hernia and the type of inguinal hernia diagnosed in the patients (direct, indirect, both indirect and direct).
Conclusions: The TEP repair allows for detecting and repairing an occult femoral hernia.
Keywords: laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair; occult hernia; unsuspected femoral hernia.