To evaluate the feasibility and safety of non-draining after laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal herniorrhaphy (TEP) for inguinal hernia repair.

Retrospective analysis of clinical data of 832 cases of inguinal hernia treated by TEP in the second hospital affiliated to Soochow University from Jan. 2010 to Mar. 2016. A retrospective and comparative analysis was carried on among 537 cases used drainage and 295 cases did not use drainage. We devise the research by analyzing the demography, morbidity parameters, hernia characteristics, hernia level, perioperative and complications of both team, gave a statistical analysis to show the effectiveness of non-use of drainage.

There are no differences between the two teams in demography, morbidity parameters, hernia characteristics and hernia level (P>0.05). Non-draining team showed a shorter operating time [(38.52 ± 16.43)min vs (45.30 ± 15.71) min, P<0.001], hospital stay after operation [(2.84 ± 0.45)d vs (3.36 ± 0.67)d, P<0.001] and time return to work [(4.57 ± 0.43)weeks vs (5.84 ± 0.95) weeks, P< 0.001], also there were less pain in the non-draining team by measure by the pain score at postoperative 24 h and 1 week (P< 0.05). The complications like seroma [10.99% vs 12.88%, P=0.4153] also had no difference (P<0.05) except uroschesis [6.70% vs 10.85%, P=0.036 9] which happened less in the non-draining team.

No use of drainage after laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal herniorrhaphy is safe, leads to less hospital stay and earlier return to work without cause more complications compares giving a postsurgical drainage.