Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of prone-position computed tomography (CT) for detecting and classifying inguinal hernia relative to supine-position CT before laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight patients who underwent laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair of inguinal hernia were enrolled in this prospective study. Patients diagnosed with inguinal hernia by physical examination underwent abdominal CT in the supine and prone positions for preoperative assessment. The anatomy of the right and left inguinal regions was confirmed during the surgery and compared with the preoperative CT findings.

Inclusion Criteria:

• inguinal hernia

Exclusion Criteria:

• emergency surgery for incarcerated hernia
• femoral hernia
• recurrent inguinal hernia after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair