Inflammatory response and short-term outcomes after laparoscopic versus robotic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: randomized clinical trial (ROLAIS).

This article reports on a single-centre, randomized clinical trial (ROLAIS) comparing robotic-assisted transabdominal preperitoneal (R-TAPP) and conventional laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (L-TAPP) inguinal hernia repair. The study's main focus was to assess differences in surgical stress response, measured by plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels, alongside short-term clinical outcomes. Results showed that R-TAPP was associated with significantly lower postoperative CRP and IL-6 levels, shorter operating times, fewer complications (notably haematomas), higher same-day discharge rates, and fewer readmissions compared to L-TAPP. No significant differences were found in chronic postoperative pain or hernia recurrence within the short follow-up period. The findings suggest that R-TAPP may reduce surgical stress and improve early recovery, supporting further multicentre studies to evaluate long-term outcomes and broader applicability.