This randomized controlled trial aims to compare postoperative pain between staples and polypropylene sutures used for mesh fixation in patients undergoing elective Lichtenstein tension-free inguinal hernia repair.

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common general surgical procedures worldwide. The standard method for mesh fixation during Lichtenstein tension-free hernioplasty uses polypropylene sutures. However, skin staples have recently been introduced as a faster and potentially less painful alternative. This randomized controlled trial compares both methods in terms of postoperative pain, measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and operative time.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male patients aged 20 to 60 years.
• Patients undergoing elective Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair for unilateral, uncomplicated inguinal hernia (direct or indirect).
• Body Mass Index (BMI) between 19 and 30 kg/m².
• ASA physical status I, II, or III.
• Patients willing to participate and provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diabetic patients (on medical records).
• Bilateral or recurrent inguinal hernia.
• Complicated hernia (irreducible, obstructed, or strangulated).
• Patients unwilling to participate or who fail to complete follow-up.

This study will not share individual participant data. Only aggregated results will be published. Data will remain confidential as per institutional policy and ethical approval requirements