Background: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common surgical conditions worldwide. Mesh repair has become the standard technique because of its lower recurrence rate; however, tissue repair remains an alternative in selected patients. This study compared the clinical outcomes of mesh repair and tissue repair in patients with uncomplicated inguinal hernia.

Materials and Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted on 50 patients aged 18–65 years with primary uncomplicated inguinal hernia. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: Group I (Mesh Repair, n=25) and Group II (Tissue Repair, n=25). Baseline demographic characteristics, operative time, postoperative pain (VAS), postoperative complications, recurrence, and patient satisfaction were compared. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05.

Results: Baseline demographic characteristics and hernia types were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the mesh repair group (48.4 ± 6.5 minutes) compared with the tissue repair group (56.7 ± 7.3 minutes) (P<0.001). Postoperative pain scores at 6, 24, and 48 hours were significantly lower in the mesh repair group (P<0.001). Although postoperative complications and recurrence were lower in the mesh repair group, these differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the mesh repair group (P=0.03).

Conclusion: Mesh repair is a safe and effective technique for the management of uncomplicated inguinal hernia. It provides shorter operative time, reduced postoperative pain, and greater patient satisfaction while maintaining comparable complication and recurrence rates.

Keywords: Inguinal hernia, Mesh repair, Tissue repair, Lichtenstein repair, Postoperative pain, Recurrence.