Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Haematoma
Systematic review	1677 people 12 RCTs in this analysis	Haematoma with TAPP laparoscopic repair with open mesh repair	RR 0.76 95% CI 0.62 to 0.94 Data analysed using fixed-effects model; see further information on studies for full details Result was heavily influenced by 1 RCT, and the difference was not significant when this trial was removed	Small effect size	TAPP laparoscopic repair
Seroma
Systematic review	1672 people 12 RCTs in this analysis	Seroma with TAPP laparoscopic repair with open mesh repair	RR 1.97 95% CI 1.27 to 3.07 Data analysed using fixed-effects model; see further information on studies for full details	Small effect size	open mesh repair
Numbness
Systematic review	1483 people 8 RCTs in this analysis	Numbness with TAPP laparoscopic repair with open mesh repair	RR 0.26 95% CI 0.17 to 0.40 Data analysed using fixed-effects model; see further information on studies for full details	Moderate effect size	TAPP laparoscopic repair
RCT 3-armed trial	66 people	Numbness with TAPP laparoscopic repair with open mesh repair Absolute results not reported	Statistical analysis not reported
Infection
Systematic review	1756 people 12 RCTs in this analysis	Infection with TAPP laparoscopic repair with open mesh repair	RR 0.41 95% CI 0.26 to 0.44 Data analysed using fixed-effects model; see further information on studies for full details Result was heavily influenced by 1 RCT, and the difference was not significant when this trial was removed	Moderate effect size	TAPP laparoscopic repair
Adverse effects (general)
RCT	50 people	Adverse effects with TAPP laparoscopic repair with open mesh repair
Postoperative pain
RCT	50 people	Postoperative pain (0 = least pain; 100 = most severe pain) at 24 hours 20.92 with TAPP laparoscopic repair 37.24 with open mesh repair	P <0.05	Effect size not calculated	TAPP laparoscopic repair
RCT 3-armed trial	280 people with primary hernias	Absence of postoperative pain 84% with TAPP laparoscopic repair 68% with open mesh repair	P <0.01	Effect size not calculated	TAPP laparoscopic repair