Metachronous Contralateral Hernia Research Articles

Comparison of Laparoscopic Percutaneous Extraperitoneal Internal Ring Closure by Two-Hook Hernia Needle and Open Repair for Pediatric Inguinal Hernia.

Purpose: In children, pediatric inguinal hernia (PIH) is a prevalent condition. PIH is currently more frequently managed by laparoscopic closure of the hernia sac. We improved this minimally invasive technique; that is, laparoscopic two-hook hernia needle percutaneous extraperitoneal internal ring closure. Safety and effectiveness were evaluated by comparing the differences between laparoscopic repair (LR) and open repair (OR) in terms of operation time, surgical complications, contralateral metachronous hernia incidence, and recurrence rate. Methods: A retrospective clinical data analysis was performed on pediatric patients who had hernia surgery utilizing the LR or OR method between June 2019 and June 2021. Medical records of all of the children were gathered, and clinical traits, information about the procedure, and follow-up were all analyzed. Results: A total of 370 patients' inguinal hernias were repaired. For 136 patients undergoing OR and 234 patients undergoing LR, all procedures were completed satisfactorily. There were 98 cases of bilateral hernias and 272 cases of unilateral hernias (180 on the right side and 92 on the left). In the LR group, 58 patients who had been initially diagnosed with unilateral hernias developed contralateral occult hernias intraoperatively. Inguinal hernia operations took an average of 13.82 (LR) and 32.07 (OR) minutes for unilateral cases, and 21.00 (LR) and 54.85 (OR) minutes for bilateral cases. For LR and OR, the average follow-up time was 22.41 months and 23.10 months, respectively. The perioperative complications included peritoneal rupture in 3 patients, scrotal edema or hematoma in 5, hydrocele in 3, and groin pain in 6. In the LR group, 1 patient experienced the postoperative recurrence, whereas 8 individuals in the OR group did. Conclusions: Our initial research showed that laparoscopic two-hook hernia needle percutaneous extraperitoneal internal ring closure inguinal hernia repair is a safe and effective procedure. The LR method has the benefits of concealing the incision, a quicker procedure, having a lower risk of complications, and finding contralateral patent processus vaginalis. Therefore, promoting and using this surgical technique in clinical practice are merited. Clinical Trial Registration number: Medical Association of Xiangtan (2022-xtyx-28).

Open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children: A regional experience

PurposeThe optimal approach for pediatric inguinal hernia repair continues to be debated. We conducted a regional retrospective study to assess rates of recurrence and metachronous hernias after open repair (OPEN) and laparoscopic repair (LAP) MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted at two children's hospitals that serve a region of approximately 4 million people. All patients < 14 years old undergoing OPEN or LAP by pediatric surgeons during a 5-year period (2011 – 2015) were analyzed after a minimum follow up of 4 years. Cox proportional regression was used to compare the effect of surgical approach on hernia recurrence and metachronous contralateral hernias. ResultsA total of 1,952 patients, 587 female (30%) and 1365 male (70%), had 2305 hernias repaired. Median post operative follow up time was 6.6 years (range 4–9 years). OPEN and LAP were performed for 1827 (79%) and 478 (21%) hernias, respectively. There were no significant differences in rate of prematurity, age at repair, or frequency of emergent repair. LAP was associated with a lower incidence of metachronous contralateral hernias compared to OPEN (1.4% vs 3.8%, p = 0.047), and a higher incidence of recurrence (9% vs 0.9%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounders, LAP had a higher rate of recurrence than OPEN (hazard ratio 10.4, 95% CI 6–18.1).The recurrence rate did not decrease over the study period (p = 0.731). ConclusionLaparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children resulted in a modest decrease in the incidence of metachronous hernias, at the cost of a significant increase in recurrence. Type of StudyRetrospective Comparative Study. Level of evidenceLevel III.

Laparoscopic extraperitoneal technique versus open inguinal herniotomy in children: historical controlled intervention study

ObjectiveTo compare surgical outcomes of percutaneous extraperitoneal simple purse string method of laparoscopic hernia (LH) repair with a traditional open inguinal hernia (OH) repair in children with indirect inguinal hernia...

Cost-Effectiveness of Laparoscopic and Open Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair.

Aim: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia (IH) repair is an alternative to open surgery. A potential advantage of laparoscopic repair is prevention of contralateral metachronous hernia although some studies report higher recurrence rate. We aim to determine the cost-effectiveness of open versus laparoscopic IH repair taking into account metachronous and recurrence rates. Methods: Retrospective single-center study of children (<5 years) undergoing elective open or laparoscopic repair for a unilateral IH between February 2018 and October 2019. Ten cases in each of four groups were included (open day case, open overnight, laparoscopic day case, and laparoscopic overnight). Cases incurring a higher cost due to comorbidities or additional procedure were excluded. Patient-level information and costing system data were obtained from the hospital finance. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) procedural cost was compared for open and laparoscopic procedures. A financial model was created factoring metachronous and recurrent rates. Results: Cost of open day case repair was £1866.24 (SD: 311.15) compared with £2210.13 (SD: 391.36) for day case laparoscopic repair. For overnight repair, cost of open was £2442.82 (SD: 497.05) compared with £2585.35 (SD: 384.66) for laparoscopic. On calculating the cost-effectiveness point using the difference in metachronous and recurrence rate between the two procedures, laparoscopic is more cost-effective than open day case repair at 18.43%. For overnight repair, the difference rate is 5.84%. Conclusion: Our data suggest that based on metachronous and recurrence rates in the current literature, laparoscopic IH repair is more cost-effective than open repair for cases requiring overnight stay, whereas for day case procedures open IH repair is more cost-effective.

Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Repair, Laparoscopic Versus Open Approach: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Last 10-Year Evidence.

Aim: Since the first description of laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (LH), a lot of studies have compared outcomes between LH and open herniorrhaphy (OH) with inconsistent results. We designed this study to assess outcomes between both techniques now that pediatric surgeons have enough confidence with it. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published in the last 10 years. Results: Twenty-seven articles reporting on 91,653 patients (26,920 LH and 64,733 OH) were included. No significant differences were found in overall operative time (OT) (P = .07). Subgroup analysis revealed significantly shorter OT for LH in unilateral (-8.87 minutes, P = .03) and bilateral hernias (-16.86 minutes, P = .004), but longer in unilateral hernias in females (+7.47 minutes, P = .006). Recurrence rate was similar (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, P = .66). Less complications were reported in LH (OR 0.51, P = .03). Contralateral patent processus vaginalis average rate was 39.61% and its closure reported a significant decrease of contralateral metachronous hernia (OR 0.11, P < .00001). Conclusion: Although OH is still considered the gold standard by some authors, LH has proven to be not only as safe as OH but also to have additional advantages that should make pediatric surgeons implement it in their daily practice and not in selected cases alone.

Pediatric Herniotomy: A 2-year Follow-up Study at Nepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital

Repair of inguinal hernia is one of the most commonly performed pediatric surgical procedures. The standard of treatment has been open herniotomy (OH). Recent trends have shown promising results with use of laparoscopy (LH) for the same. The aim of this study was to compare laparoscopic herniotomy with the standard of care at the time of the study, which has become an increasingly common procedure at our center. This was a prospective follow-up study conducted at the Department of Surgery at Nepal Medical College and Teaching Hospital. A total of sixty-four patients who underwent herniotomy were included in the study and followed up for a total duration of two years post-operatively. Immediate post-op pain was assessed with the use of visual analogue scales. Complications, recurrence, and metachronous herniation were noted in the follow up visits. Use of laparoscopy resulted in a longer operative time (36.68 min vs 22.5 min for OH, P &lt;0.001). Pain scores were similar at immediate post-op period (LH 4.18 vs OH 3.93) but decreased significantly for LH compared to OH at 6 hours (3.68 vs 4.31, P = 0.018), 12 hours (2.71 vs 3.62, P &lt;0.001), and 24 hours (2 vs 3.03, P &lt;0.001). Difference in the mean hospital stay was statistically significant (LH 2.02 days vs OH 2.34 days, P &lt;0.001). No recurrences occurred during the follow up period of the study. No patients developed contralateral metachronous hernia during the follow-up period. The cost of OH compared to LH was significantly less. LH is a safer and better alternative to OH for management of pediatric inguinal hernia when comparing post-op pain and hospital stay. However, duration of surgery and cost for the procedure favor OH at present in our setup.

Double ligation is useful to prevent recurrence for paediatric inguinal hernia in the laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure procedure

AbstractAimAlthough laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) is the standard procedure for paediatric inguinal hernia repair in our country, recurrence is an important problem. In this study, we examined the usefulness of double ligation in preventing recurrence in the LPEC procedure.MethodsWe retrospectively examined children with inguinal hernias who underwent the LPEC procedure. Cases from October 2012 to June 2016 who underwent surgery for inguinal hernias with single ligation were defined as Group A. Children operated on from July 2016 to April 2019, when double ligation was the standard procedure in our institution, were defined as Group B. We reviewed the operative time and postoperative complications including recurrence rate. Double ligation was performed by holding two threads on the LPEC needle and then binding them individually.ResultsGroup A consisted of 401 patients and Group B consisted of 360 patients. No significant differences were noted between the groups with respect to operative time, infection, metachronous contralateral hernia or testicular atrophy. The recurrence rate was significantly higher in Group A with recurrence occurring in seven cases compared to none in Group B.ConclusionsDouble ligation in the LPEC procedure is useful for preventing recurrence.

Comparison of surgical outcomes between laparoscopic percutaneous extracorporeal closure (LPEC) and open repair for pediatric inguinal hernia by propensity score methods and log-rank test analysis.

Despite a number of studies comparing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LH) and open herniorrhaphy (OH), the putative advantage of LH remains controversial due to a paucity of firm evidence. We hypothesized that LH has both advantages and disadvantages compared to OH and sought to clarify them by comprehensively analyzing the retrospective data using the combination of multiple statistical methods. Operative data for inguinal hernia during the period from February 1999 to December 2019 were examined. The patients were assigned into two groups according to the surgical procedure: laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC, n = 2410) and OH (n = 2038). Operative and anesthesia times and incidence of postoperative complications were evaluated using the propensity score methods and log-rank test. In comparison with OH, operative time of LPEC was longer for unilateral repair (21.59 ± 8.1 min vs 18.01 ± 8.0 min; p < 0.001) and shorter for bilateral repairs (28.55 ± 10.1 min vs 33.23 ± 11.7 min; p < 0.001), while anesthesia times were longer for both unilateral repair (57.67 ± 10.1 min vs 40.62 ± 11.9 min; p < 0.001) and bilateral repairs (65.95 ± 12.5 min vs 56.35 ± 15.1 min; p < 0.001). LPEC significantly reduced the risk of metachronous contralateral hernia (MCLH) (0.52% vs 9.29%; p < 0.001), but the recurrence rate was higher (0.21% vs 0.04%; p = 0.002) than OH. Orchiectomy due to testicular atrophy or torsion was required in 3 cases of OH (0.19%), whereas it was not seen in LPEC. LPEC had a less riskof MCLH and testicular complications but was associated with a higher recurrence rate and longer anesthesia time. Propensity scoring techniques can enhance the robustness of retrospective comparisons between groups over several years of data collection, which is frequently required in pediatric surgery studies.

Characteristics and treatments for pediatric ordinary and incarcerated inguinal hernia based on gender: 12-year experiences from a single center

BackgroundCongenital primary inguinal hernia is a common condition among children. Although much literature regarding inguinal hernia is available, large scale analysis are few, and rarely do they expand on gender difference or incarcerated hernias.MethodsPatients with unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia who were admitted to our hospital and received open inguinal hernia repair (OIHR) or laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) under general anesthesia were included. LIHR was performed using single-site laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (SLPEC). Medical records were retrospectively collected and analyzed.ResultsA total of 12,190 patients were included in this study. The ratio of male to female was 4.8:1. There was a total of 10,646 unilateral hernias (87.3%) and 1544 bilateral hernias (12.7%), with a corresponding ratio of 6.9:1. 12,444 hernia repair surgeries, 11,083 (89.1%) OIHR and 1361 (10.9%) LIHR, were held. OIHR had a shorter operative time than LIHR for all unilateral and female bilateral repair, unlike for bilateral male repair. There was no difference between OIHR and LIHR for ipsilateral recurrent hernia in males. There was a difference between OIHR and LIHR for metachronous contralateral hernia. Incarcerated inguinal hernia was associated with longer operative time, hospital stay and higher hospital costs. Females and patients under 1 year were more likely to present with incarcerated hernia.ConclusionsOIHR should be considered for male patients, especially for unilateral and complete inguinal hernia. LIHR is highly recommended for female patients. For incarcerated hernia, attention should be paid to patients under 1 year old, as they can be 60 times more susceptible, and females. Surgeons should also be aware of ovary hernias in females.

Single-Center 12-Year Analysis of Inguinal Hernia in Female Children

To analyze the clinical presentations of female inguinal hernia and discuss the appropriate surgical approach for hernia repair. A retrospective analysis of female children who received hernia repair for unilateral or bilateral inguinal hernia between 2007 and 2019 was held. A total of 2256 hernia repairs, 1498 (66.3%) open hernia repair (OH), and 758 (33.7%) laparoscopic hernia repair (LH) were performed. There were 1693 (75.0%) unilateral, 889 (39.4%) right, 801 (35.5%) left, 3 (0.1%) unrecorded, and 563 (25.0%) bilateral patients. One hundred seven (14.1%) laparoscopic contralateral explorations led to simultaneous contralateral high ligation. Among LH patients, 3 (0.4%) received repeat LH for ipsilateral recurrent hernia (IRH). Among OH patients, 19 (1.3%) underwent another OH for metachronous contralateral hernia (MCH). There was no significant difference between OH and LH for IRH (P = 0.015), unlike for MCH (P < 0.010). There was a higher percentage of unilateral inguinal hernia than bilateral, with a right-side bias. Despite the associated learning curve, this study advocates for LH as it is a safe procedure that allows for efficient and effective contralateral exploration without increasing total anesthesia time. We also advocate for simultaneous contralateral hernia repair as it would potentially reduce the need for a second surgery and the financial and emotional burden that parents experience with surgery.

A comparative study examining laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair in children: a retrospective study from a single center in China

BackgroundPediatric inguinal hernia (PIH) is a common disease in children. Laparoscopic hernia repair (LHR) has developed rapidly in recent years, but there are still different opinions compared with traditional open hernia repair (OHR). The purpose of this study was to compare the advantages and disadvantages of LHR and OHR in the treatment of pediatric inguinal hernia.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of all children (< 14 years) who underwent repair of inguinal hernia in the pediatric surgery center of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2015 to December 2015. We collected the medical records of all the children and analyzed the clinical characteristics, operation-related information and follow-up.ResultsIn the OHR group, 202 cases underwent unilateral inguinal hernia repair, and 43 cases underwent bilateral inguinal hernia repair. In the LHR group, 168 cases underwent unilateral inguinal hernia repair, and 136 cases underwent bilateral inguinal hernia repair. There was a significant difference in the operation time between the two groups, but there were no significant differences in postoperative hospitalization time and incidence of ipsilateral recurrent hernia between the two groups. The incidence rates of metachronous contralateral hernia (MCH) and surgical site infection in LHR group were significantly lower than those in the OHR group.ConclusionOur study shows that compared with OHR, LHR has the advantages of concealed incision, minimal invasiveness, reduced operation time, detection of contralateral patent processus vaginalis, and reduced incidence of MCH. In conclusion, LHR is safe and effective in the treatment of pediatric indirect inguinal hernia.

Single-site laparoscopic burnia for inguinal hernias in girls: comparison with open repair.

Burnia is a suturless repair for inguinal hernias in girls. It is performed under laparoscopy by grabbing the sac, inverting it into the peritoneal cavity, and cauterizing. The aim of this study is to report our experience with single-site laparoscopic burnia (BURNIA) and compare them with open repair (OPEN). With IRB approval, pediatric female patients younger than 18years of age who underwent inguinal hernia repair between January 2015 and December 2017 were enrolled. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups, BURNIA and OPEN. 198 patients were included. In BURNIA, 49 patients underwent bilateral repairs, and 50 patients underwent 51 unilateral repairs (one patient had metachronous contralateral hernia). In OPEN, 27 patients underwent bilateral repairs, and 72 patients underwent 77 unilateral repairs (five patients had metachronous contralateral hernias). The mean age of BURNIA was similar to OPEN for bilateral repairs (49.1 ± 36.6 vs. 43.7 ± 26.4months, p = 0.46), but significantly older for unilateral repairs (54.6 ± 29.8 vs. 29.0 ± 31.4, p < 0.01). The mean operation time of BUNIA was similar to OPEN for bilateral repairs (24.2 ± 7.6 vs. 22.4 ± 8.6min, p = 0.35), but significantly longer for unilateral repairs (19.2 ± 7.0 vs, 13.6 ± 8.8min, p < 0.01). The mean follow-up duration of BURNIA was significantly shorter than OPEN for bilateral and unilateral repairs, respectively (32.5 ± 8.8 vs. 45.4 ± 4.8months, p < 0.01) (30.2 ± 8.8 vs. 39.1 ± 9.6months, p < 0.01). No conversion was required in BURNIA. There were no complications and no recurrence in all patients. Single-site laparoscopic burnia is technically feasible, and as safe and effective as open inguinal hernia repair.

Percutaneous hernia repair in children: Safe to introduce.

In 2014 we introduced percutaneous internal ring suture as an alternative to open surgery for the treatment of inguinal hernia. This study aims to evaluate the introduction of the procedure at our institution. In total, 100 consecutive patients operated with percutaneous internal ring suture were compared with 100 consecutive patients operated with open surgery. The patients were operated from August 2014 until November 2017. Patient demographics, clinical history, operative time, time in theater, and postoperative complications were extracted from charts. The mean operative time for percutaneous internal ring suture was 26.54 min and for open surgery 39.94 min, P < 0.0001. The total mean operative theater time for percutaneous internal ring suture was 108.95 min and for open surgery 118.4 min, P = 0.0343. During follow-up, two percutaneous internal ring sutures were operated for recurrent hernia. In the open surgery-group, three patients were operated for recurrent hernia, three for secondary testicular retention, and three for metachronous contralateral hernia. Even when established as a new technique, the percutaneous internal ring suture procedure is safe and results in shorter operative time and shorter theater time compared to open surgery.

Comparing the Incidences of Occult Contralateral Hernia under Laparo-Endoscopic Techniques and of Contralateral Metachronous Hernia after a Unilateral Groin Hernia Repair in Open Technique

The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of immediate repair of a contralateral occult hernia at the same time as incipient hernia repair. A total of 693 patients were diagnosed preoperatively with a unilateral groin hernia from January 2006 to December 2017. The open technique was used for 541 patients, and the laparo-endoscopic technique was used for 152 patients. The incidences of occult contralateral hernia confirmed during surgery under laparo-endoscopic techniques and those of contralateral metachronous hernia after a unilateral groin hernia repair with open technique were compared. Fifty-one (9.4%) of 541 patients underwent a contralateral metachronous hernia repair after unilateral groin hernia repair. Twenty-three (15.1%) of 152 patients had occult contralateral hernias using laparo-endoscopic techniques. There was a significant difference in the incidence of contralateral metachronous hernia and that of occult contralateral hernia (P = 0.02). It is concluded that finding and repairing an occult contralateral hernia at the time of laparo-endoscopic technique has the advantage of avoiding a second operation. However, it has been considered overtreatment to repair all patients with an occult contralateral hernia.

Efficacy of Laparoscopic Percutaneous Extraperitoneal Closure for Unilateral Inguinal Hernia in Children and Significance of Simple Exploration Maneuver for Contralateral Patent Processus Vaginalis: A Retrospective Study

To evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) for unilateral inguinal hernia in children and effect of intraoperative laparoscopic exploration for finding contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) on prevention of the metachronous contralateral hernia (MCH). We retrospectively analyzed unilateral inguinal hernia ligation in children, which can be diveded into two groups: a total of 252 cases with open surgical ligation from January 2010 to December 2012 (open group), a total of 184 cases underwent laparoscopic percutaneous peritoneal hernia sac high ligation LPEC from January 2013 to March 2015 (LPEC group). Then, we observed postoperative complications, recurrence of hernia, and the postoperative MCH in the two groups and analyzed the influence factors of the MCH. In Open groups and LPEC groups, the complication incidences, respectively, were 4.4 and 1.6 per cent, having statistical difference (P > 0.05), the average postoperative follow-up duration, respectively, were 42 months and 22 months, whereas the overall incidence of MCH, respectively, were 5.2 and 0.5 per cent (P < 0.05). In the first 24 months follow-up time, the overall incidence of MCH, respectively, were 3.6 and 0 per cent. Laparoscopic evaluation was positive for CPPV in 67 cases. We found the prevalence of 56.1 per cent of CPPV in LPEC groups aged 0.6 to 2 years old, finding the incidence gradually decline with the increase of age, until 14.3 per cent to 10 to 12 years old group. Our study shows LPEC has proven efficacy in treatment of unilateral inguinal hernia in children, and routine laparoscopic exploration with this simple maneuver should be actively performed to observe CPPV in all chidren.

What happens after no contralateral exploration in total extraperitoneal (TEP) herniorrhaphy of clinical unilateral inguinal hernias?

While performing unilateral TEP herniorrhaphy, controversy still exists about whether to do contralateral exploration or not. Routine contralateral exploration has been proposed to prevent metachronous contralateral hernias by the repair of incidental contralateral occult hernias. Some surgeons have even proposed to do prophylactic bilateral TEP herniorrhaphy for unilateral hernia patients. To evaluate the appropriateness of not doing contralateral exploration in unilateral TEP herniorrhaphy, we reviewed our experiences under our practice of no contralateral exploration and we also reviewed other published literature. A total of 305 patients who underwent 313 TEP herniorrhaphies for inguinal hernias by a single surgeon during August 2012-July 2016 at Chia-Yi Christian Hospital were enrolled in this retrospective study. Demographic, perioperative and follow-up data were obtained for analysis and review. Of the 305 patients, 261 patients had unilateral TEP herniorrhaphy and 44 patients had bilateral TEP herniorrhaphy. The mean operation time for the unilateral TEP herniorrhaphy group was 59.8min, and for the bilateral TEP herniorrhaphy group it was 85.2min (p<0.001). Seven of 261 (2.7%) patients had metachronous contralateral hernia after unilateral TEP herniorrhaphy. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the outcome variables when comparing the sequential and simultaneous primary bilateral TEP herniorrhaphies. Without routine contralateral exploration, the incidence of metachronous contralateral hernia was 2.7% (7/261) in unilateral hernia patients. This is acceptable as metachronous hernia also occurred in 3.2% of patients with negative contralateral exploration according to our literature review. Sequential and simultaneous bilateral primary TEP herniorrhaphy outcomes were similar. We conclude that no exploration for the other groin is a justified decision for unilateral inguinal hernia patients.

The Incidence of Inguinal Hernia among Children

Objectives: The aim of this study was to document clinical features of inguinal hernia (IH) in the pediatric populace. It delivers data to assess related risk factors of incarcerated hernia, its reappearance in addition to the occurrence of contra lateral metachronous hernia. Materials and Methods: We report a retrospective analytic study comprising 230 children presenting with IH and operated from April 2015 to June 2017 in the pediatric surgery department, King Abdulaziz Hospital. Results: We managed 36 girls (15.6%) and 194 boys (84.4%). The mean age was 3 years; The median age in the studied group was 3 years (range 22 days to 12 years). Males were predominantly affected (84.4%, n = 194). The rate of IH was more important in the youngest group (age < 2 years); thus, we accounted 43.5% (n = 100) infants. The cumulative incidence of hernia in the 2–6-year age group was 34.7% (n = 80). Thirteen percent (n = 31) of these patients presented with an incarceration mostly on the right side (62.6%, n = 154). We recognized that the total rate of incarcerated hernia incidence in premature group was evaluated at 27%. This rate was high, particularly in neonates and infants. Prematurity and hypotrophy were documented in 9% and 7% respectively. The mean follow-up period was 3.8 years. We think that incarceration can be related to several risk factors such as feminine gender, prematurity, and the initial left side surgical repair of the hernia. Conclusion: IH occurs mainly in male infants. Prematurity and male gender was identified as risk factors of incarceration. Contralateral metachronous hernia was reported, especially in female infants and after a left side surgical repair of the hernia.

Does the laparoscopic treatment of paediatric hydroceles represent a better alternative to the traditional open repair technique? A retrospective study of 1332 surgeries performed at two centres in China

PurposeTo evaluate the safety, efficacy and merits of laparoscopic repair in children with hydroceles by comparing the outcomes of laparoscopic repair and the traditional open repair (OR) procedure. The outcomes of the following three laparoscopic percutaneous extra-peritoneal closure (LPEC) approaches were also compared: conventional two-port surgery, transumbilical single-site two-port surgery and single-port surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively compared the demographic, perioperative and follow-up data from the consecutive records obtained for 382 boys who underwent OR and 950 boys who underwent LPEC at two children’s medical centres in China. In the LPEC group, regardless of the hydrocele form, one of the three approaches with percutaneous aspiration was performed: conventional two-port surgery was performed in 387 cases, single-site two-port surgery was performed in 468 cases and single-port surgery was performed in 95 cases. The clinical data and complications were statistically analysed.ResultsPostoperative follow-up data were obtained for all the patients. The mean follow-up time was 36 months (24–48 months) in the OR group and 32.5 months (20–44 months) in the LPEC group. Significant differences in recurrence were not observed between the groups (five in the OR and 10 in the LPEC; P = 0.69). However, the operation time, postoperative hospital stay, incidence of scrotal oedema, incision infection and contralateral metachronous hernia or hydrocele were significantly higher in the OR group than those in the LPEC group (P < 0.01). Eighteen children (4.71%) had a negative exploration of the patent processus vaginalis (PPV) in the OR group. Fourteen children (1.47%) in the LPEC group had a closed internal ring and were converted to a scrotal procedure. Significant differences in the clinical data or complications were not observed between the two centres for the laparoscopic procedure (P > 0.05). Contralateral PPV (cPPV) was found in 18 patients in the single-port group (18.9%). Of the patients affected with cPPV, significant differences were observed between the single-port group and the two-port LPEC group (122 patients, 31.5%, P = 0.016) and the single-site two-port group (the 148 patients, 31.6%, P = 0.013). A contralateral metachronous hernia or hydrocele was found in zero, zero and two cases in these groups, respectively, and significant differences were observed (P < 0.01) between the single-site surgery and the other two laparoscopic approaches.ConclusionsLPEC is safe, feasible and effective for treating hydroceles in children and has the same recurrence rate as OR. However, LPEC is superior in operation time, hospital stay, occurrence of scrotal oedema, incision infection and occurrence of metachronous hernia or hydrocele. The transumbilical single-site two-port procedure has the same cosmetic effect as the single-port LPEC. According to our experience, the two-port LPEC approach is better for diagnosing cPPV and reducing metachronous hernia or hydrocele than the single-port LPEC procedure.

Male Gender and Prematurity are Risk Factors for Incarceration in Pediatric Inguinal Hernia: A Study of 922 Children.

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to document clinical features of inguinal hernia (IH) in the pediatric population. It provides data to evaluate associated risk factors of incarcerated hernia, its recurrence as well as the occurrence of contralateral metachronous hernia.Materials and Methods:We report a retrospective analytic study including 922 children presenting with IH and operated from 2010 to 2013 in our pediatric surgery department.Results:We managed 143 girls (16%) and 779 boys (84%). The mean age was 2 years; the right side was predominantly affected (66.8%, n = 616). Incarcerated hernia was documented in 16% of cases with an incidence of 33% in neonates. The incarceration occurrence was 15.5% in males versus 2.09% in females. The surgical repair was done according to Forgue technique. Postoperatively, four cases of hernia recurrence were documented, and contralateral metachronous hernia was reported in 33 children with 7.7% females versus 2.8% males. Forty-five percent of them were infants. The mean follow-up period was 4 years. We think that incarceration can be related to several risk factors such as feminine gender, prematurity, and the initial left side surgical repair of the hernia.Conclusion:IH occurs mainly in male infants. Prematurity and male gender were identified as risk factors of incarceration. Contralateral metachronous hernia was reported, especially in female infants and after a left side surgical repair of the hernia.

Morphology-based investigation of metachronous inguinal hernia after negative laparoscopic evaluation – is it acquired indirect inguinal hernia?

PurposePatients who developed apparent metachronous contralateral inguinal hernia (MCIH) after negative laparoscopic diagnosis have been reported. We performed this study to investigate the morphological characteristics and etiology of this phenomenon. Patients and MethodsA consecutive series of 1,747 patients (858 boys and 889 girls) with symptomatic unilateral inguinal hernia were studied. During laparoscopic percutaneous completely extraperitoneal closure, morphological appearances at the asymptomatic groin were inspected for contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) with definitive criteria. If positive CPPV was identified, it was closed by the same technique used for the affected side. The patients were reviewed for occurrence of metachronous contralateral hernia. ResultsA total of 755 patients (43.2%) had positive CPPV. Of the 992 patients whose CPPVs were evaluated as true negative, eight (seven boys, one girl) developed MCIH (time taken, three months to five years six months). During second-look operations, morphological appearances of the CPPV that was originally considered as true negative CPPV was found to be wide open. ConclusionsDespite a true negative evaluation by laparoscopy, there was a 0.8% chance of developing a MCIH. This phenomenon was male-oriented and may be acquired indirect inguinal hernia without preceding of CPPV.