Transabdominal Preperitoneal Inguinal Hernia Repair (TAPP)

May 11, 2026 updated by: University of Southern Denmark

Short-term Outcome and Inflammatory Stress Response Following Transabdominal Preperitoneal Inguinal Hernia Repair (TAPP) - A Prospective, Randomized Trial Comparing Laparoscopy to the Robotic-assisted Approach

The present study seeks to determine whether improved visual acuity and enhanced flexibility of the robotic platform results in a reduced surgical stress response and an improvement in indices of surgical outcome measures for simple and complex inguinal hernia repair

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Complex inguinal hernia repair is challenging and requires both advanced skills in laparoscopic surgery and knowledge about the complex anatomy of the inguinal area. Whereas the repair of a small inguinal hernia usually is simple and straightforward, complex hernias (large inguinoscrotal and recurrent hernias) constitute a surgical challenge due to the risk of damage of the neurovascular structures in the inguinal area. It requires advanced laparoscopic skills to reduce the hernial sac in patients with large lateral hernias, where the hernial sac often extends deep into the scrotum in close vicinity to the spermatic cord and the testicular artery. This dissection is difficult with conventional laparoscopy, which may explain the risk of chronic pain, testicular hypotrophy and hernia recurrence. The aim of the study is to determine whether rTAPP of complex inguinal hernias is associated with a lower surgical stress response and a lower risk of postoperative complications compared to laparoscopic TAPP.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
150

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Denmark
      • Aabenraa, Denmark, 6200
        • Sygehus Soenderjylland

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • ASA 1- 3
  • Clinical or radiologic diagnosis of inguinal hernia (unilateral, bilateral, recurrent, inguinoscrotal)
  • Eligible for a laparoscopic procedure
  • Informed concent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Incarcerated inguinal hernia requiring emergency surgery
  • Pregnancy
  • Patients with chronic pain due to arthritis, migraine or other illness requiring regular intake of pain relieve (paracetamol, NSAID etc)
  • Active cancer
  • History of psychiatric or additive disorder that prevent the patient from participating in the trial
  • Co-existing inflammatory disease
  • Co-existing immunological disease that requires medication of any kind

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Robotic TAPP
Repair of primary unilateral and bilateral hernias with robotic technology
Procedure: Robotic TAPP
Robotic TAPP consists of four different procedures. Part 2 and 3 will be the same for both procedures and will consist of hernia reduction and preparation of the preperitoneal space where the mesh is placed (part 2), mesh placement and suturing of the peritoneum (part 3). Part 1 consists of docking of the robot and port placement and part 4 consists of de-docking and skin closure
Active Comparator: Laparoscopic TAPP
Repair of primary unilateral and bilateral hernias with laparoscopic repair
Procedure: Laparoscopic TAPP
Laparoscopic TAPP consists of four different procedures. Part 2 and 3 will be the same for both procedures and will consist of hernia reduction and preparation of the preperitoneal space where the mesh is placed (part 2), mesh placement and suturing of the peritoneum (part 3). Part 1 consists of port placement only and part 4 consists of skin closure only.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Surgical stress response (CRP)
Time Frame: CRP will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 1 day postoperatively and 3 days postoperatively
Change of serum CRP over time.
CRP will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 1 day postoperatively and 3 days postoperatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Estimated intraoperative blood loss
Time Frame: intraoperative (From first incision until last suture has been placed)
The amount of intraoperative blood loss measured in mL, estimated by the primary surgeon
intraoperative (From first incision until last suture has been placed)
Intraoperative need of blood transfusion
Time Frame: intraoperative (From first incision until last suture has been placed)
The amount of blood transfused during surgery measured in mL
intraoperative (From first incision until last suture has been placed)
Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: Up to 3 months
The number of days patients spend in the hospital following the procedure.
Up to 3 months
Hernia defect size
Time Frame: During surgery
The area of the hernial defect in cm2 measured at 8 mmHg
During surgery
Total surgical time
Time Frame: During surgery
The procedure will be divided into 4 parts. Part 1 will be different for the 2 procedures. In rTAPP it will consist of docking of the robot and port placement while it only will consist of port placement in TAPP. Part 2 and 3 will be the same for both procedures and will consist of hernia reduction and preparation of the preperitoneal space where the mesh is placed (part 2), mesh placement and suturing of the peritoneum (part 3). Part 4 will also be different for the 2 procedures. In rTAPP it will consist of de-docking and skin closure while it only will consist of skin closure in TAPP. Total surgical time and each part will be measured individually in minutes and the 2 procedures will be compared
During surgery
Postoperative complications
Time Frame: From surgery until 6 months postoperatively
Classified into grades (I-V) according to the Clavien-Dindo classification
From surgery until 6 months postoperatively
Life-quality
Time Frame: From inclusion until 6 months postoperatively
According to the EUropean Registry for Abdominal wall HerniaS Quality Of Life questionnaire (Eura-HS QoL). The total score ranges from 0 (best quality of life) to 90 (worst quality of life)
From inclusion until 6 months postoperatively
Sexual dysfunction
Time Frame: From inclusion until 6 months postoperatively
According to the Sexual Inguinal Hernia Questionnaire (SexIHQ) a 1-page, 8-question questionnaire including visual analogue scales and tick-boxes used to asses sexual dysfunction following inguinal hernia repair
From inclusion until 6 months postoperatively
Surgical stress response (IL1-β)
Time Frame: IL1-β will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
The change of serum IL1-β over time.
IL1-β will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
Surgical stress response (IL-6)
Time Frame: IL-6 will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
The change of serum IL-6 over time.
IL-6 will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
Surgical stress response (IL-8)
Time Frame: IL-8 will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
The change of serum IL-8 over time.
IL-8 will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
Surgical stress response (IL-10)
Time Frame: IL-10 will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
The change of serum IL-10 over time.
IL-10 will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
Surgical stress response (TNF-α)
Time Frame: TNF-α will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation
The change of serum TNF-α over time.
TNF-α will be measured preoperatively at baseline, 30 minutes after extubation and 120 minutes after extubation

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Southern Denmark

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 11, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 28, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 1, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 3, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 14, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 11, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SHS-MT Kir - 1 - 2023

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings