腹腔镜腹股沟疝修补术216例临床分析

目的:探讨腹腔镜腹股沟疝修补术的疗效及可行性。方法:216例249侧腹股沟疝用腹腔镜行疝修补术,全部经腹腔修补。其中腹股沟斜疝191例207侧,腹股沟直疝25例42侧。结果:手术均获成功,手术时间70～120min,平均90min。术后平均住院5d。随访162例,1例复发,复发率0.46%。结论:腹腔镜疝修补术具有患者康复快、疗效好、复发率低、疼痛轻等优点,值得推广应用。     

急腹症腹腔镜探查发现隐匿性疝的处理经验总结

目的探讨急腹症患者发现的腹股沟隐匿性疝的处理方法和技巧。方法总结2008年8月至2010年10月,济宁市第一人民医院收治的急腹症行急诊腹腔镜探查患者313例,术中发现隐匿性腹股沟疝41例。同期行腹股沟无张力疝修补术46例。结果围手术期患者无明显腹股沟不适症状,感染1例。术后随访3～5年,行内环口高位结扎2例患者出现复发。同期行腹股沟无张力疝修补术患者复发2例,感染2例。二组复发率比较差异无统计学意思（x^2=0．01,P〉0．05）,感染率差异无统计学意义（x^2=0．2,4,P〉0．05）。结论急腹症腹股沟区发现的隐匿性斜疝行内环口高位结扎＋自体组织修补是可行的。     

腹腔镜完全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术72例报告

目的 总结完全腹膜外腹腔镜疝修补术(TEP)的临床经验及效果.方法 回顾性分析我院2005年3月至2011年2月采用腹腔镜下完全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术治疗成人腹股沟疝72例共84侧的临床资料,其中单侧腹股沟斜疝42例,单侧腹股沟直疝18例,双侧腹股沟疝12例;初发疝64例,复发疝8例.结果 72例患者共行84次TEP术,3例中转行经腹腔腹膜前腹腔镜疝修补术(TAPP).手术时间35～155 min,平均73 min,住院时间3～8 d,平均5.5 d.术后并发症5例(侧),占6.9%,均为腹股沟区或阴囊的血肿或血清肿,随访3～63个月,无复发.结论 TEP手术安全可靠,术后疼痛轻、恢复快、复发率低,且费用相对较低、易被患者接受,同其他腹腔镜疝修补术相比优势明显,应成为腹腔镜治疗腹股沟疝的主要术式.     

腹腔镜下小儿腹股沟隐匿性疝的临床特点分析

目的:分析小儿单侧腹股沟斜疝合并对侧隐匿性疝的临床特点。方法:回顾分析2007年12月至2015年5月为4 232例患儿行腹腔镜疝囊高位结扎术的临床资料。结果:4 232例患儿中男3 776例,女456例,3 919例行单侧腹股沟斜疝手术,1 868例(47.7%)合并对侧隐匿性疝,其中左侧斜疝合并对侧隐匿性疝的比例为50.7%,右侧斜疝合并对侧隐匿性疝的比例为45.9%,差异有统计学意义(χ~2=8.4951,P=0.0036)。结论:对侧隐匿性疝发生率与性别、年龄无关。儿童单侧腹股沟斜疝合并对侧隐匿性疝比例较高,且不随年龄增长而降低。腹腔镜手术可同时探查双侧腹股沟,利于预防性处理对侧隐匿性疝,具有一定的临床优势。     

腹腔镜完全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术理论与实践（附42例报道）

目的总结分析腹腔镜完全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术的理论与手术经验、技巧。方法回顾分析2009年10月至2010年12月42例腹股沟疝患者行腹腔镜完全腹膜外修补术的临床资料,双侧腹股沟疝13例,单侧29例;复发疝6例;斜疝35例,直疝17例,复合疝3例次。结果 42例患者共行55例腹腔镜手术,2例中转为经腹腔腹膜前修补术,手术时间30～120 min（单侧平均35 min,双侧平均70 min）。术后住院时间1～5 d,平均3 d。术后并发腹股沟区血清肿1例,皮下气肿1例。随访1～12个月,无复发病例。结论腹腔镜完全腹膜外腹股沟疝修补术符合疝修补的理论基础,安全可靠,患者术后疼痛轻、恢复快,应推荐为腹股沟疝修补的首选术式。     

探讨精索脂肪瘤在双侧腹股沟疝中的临床意义

目的探讨双侧腹股沟疝及其相关临床问题,精索脂肪瘤在双侧腹股沟斜疝中的临床意义。方法总结统计武汉市普仁医院2013年1月至2015年6月,96例双侧腹股沟疝患者临床资料,并分为两组,一组为同期发现双侧腹股沟疝并手术患者82例(85.4%);另一组为行单侧手术后再发另一侧并行手术患者14例(14.6%),术中发现双侧均存在精索脂肪瘤患者62例,常规行双侧腹股沟斜疝无张力修补术(Lichtenstein术),术中重建内环口及切除脂肪瘤。结果术中发现脂肪瘤约(1~4)枚/人,脂肪瘤瘤体直径1~6 cm。术后行病检32例,病理类型:脂肪瘤28例、血管脂肪瘤3例以及脂肪瘤样增生1例。术后随访1~24个月,无疝复发。结论精索脂肪瘤可致内环口扩大,在腹股沟斜疝形成因素中占重要意义。精索脂肪瘤多呈对称性生长,针对BMI偏高、特别站立后下腹部脂肪堆积明显的单侧腹股沟疝患者,术前应尽力发现对侧隐匿性疝的存在;单侧腹股沟疝术中存在精索脂肪瘤的对侧出现腹股沟疝的概率大大增加。     

腹腔镜腹股沟疝修补术并发症的防治（附124例）

目的探讨腹腔镜下腹股沟疝修补术手术效果与并发症防治。方法回顾性分析我院2007年10月至2010年12月接受经腹腔腹膜前疝修补术（TAPP）和完全腹膜外腹腔镜疝修补术（TEP）患者的临床资料,治疗效果和并发症发生率。结果本组腹腔镜下腹股沟疝修补术124例全部治愈。术式TAPP81例,TEP43例。单侧腹股沟斜疝38例,直疝21例;双侧腹股沟斜疝44例,直疝14例;一侧斜疝一侧直疝5例,双侧腹股沟斜疝并右直疝2例。手术时间40～187min,平均104min。住院时间5～13d,平均7d。随访1个月至33个月,平均随访15个月。手术并发症7例,占5．6％;4例为腹股沟区血肿,其中1例经手术清除后治愈;2例为阴囊气肿,术后第二天自愈;1例直疝术后2个月复发。结论TAPP／TEP治疗腹股沟疝是安全有效的,并发症及复发率可以接受,规范操作并正确把握手术指征对顺利开展腹腔镜下腹股沟疝修补术具有重要意义。     

腹腔镜在儿童对侧隐匿性腹股沟疝的临床价值

目的探讨腹腔镜诊疗儿童隐匿性腹股沟疝的临床意义。方法回顾性分析2010年1月至2014年5月,新疆维吾尔自治区人民医院收治内环口直径〉2cm及手法无法复位的嵌顿性腹股沟疝患儿32例,均行开放手术疝囊高位结扎,前壁加强的同时从疝囊置入30。腹腔镜探查对侧腹股沟管内环口,如发现对侧腹股管内环口未闭或者开放的窦道为隐匿性疝则同时行内环口关闭术。结果本组共32例均行切开手术,术中发现隐匿性疝15例。术中同时处理对侧隐匿性疝时,手术时间延长5—10rain。术后均无切口感染或睾丸炎等并发症,术后出现阴囊水肿5例,阴囊抬高后自行好转。术后2～5d出院。术后随访1个月至1年,无复发及睾丸回缩等。结论儿童隐匿性斜疝发病率较高,可从疝囊置入腹腔镜探查对侧并同时处理,可减少脐部切开探查,减少再次麻醉及手术的痛苦,降低医疗费用。     

完全腹膜外腹腔镜腹股沟疝修补术的临床应用

目的 总结完全腹膜外腹腔镜疝修补术(totally extraperitoneal prosthetic,TEP)的成功经验.探讨TEP手术方法及手术优势.方法 回顾分析2006年10月～2008年5月北京世纪坛医院外科和上海复旦大学华山医院外科收治的225例(265侧次)腹股沟疝患者行TEP手术的临床资料.直疝55侧次,斜疝197侧次,复合疝13侧次;单侧疝185例,双侧疝40例;其中复发疝29侧次.结果 225例患者共行265侧次TEP手术.手术时间30～182 min(平均单侧48 min,双侧106 min).住院时间2～8 d,平均(3.0±1.2)d.并发症情况:阴囊血清肿18例,尿潴留21例,腹股沟区疼痛5例,膀胱损伤1例.随访3月～3年,复发1例.结论 TEP手术安全可靠、具有术后疼痛发生少、远期舒适性好、复发率低和经济性好等优势,可成为腹腔镜治疗腹股沟疝的主要术式.     

腹腔镜小儿疝自体组织修补术的临床观察(附190例报告)

目的 探讨腹腔镜自体组织修补术治疗小儿腹股沟斜疝的临床应用价值.方法 回顾分析近5年行腹腔镜疝囊高位结扎术加自体组织修补术治疗190例小儿腹股沟斜疝的临床资料,单侧斜疝153例,双侧斜疝(包括对侧隐性疝)37例;其中平诊斜疝183例(包括复发疝11例),急诊嵌顿性斜疝7例.结果 190例均手术成功.平均手术时间单侧10 min,双侧18 min,术后平均住院为1 d,无术后并发症发生.全组病例术后均获得随访,随访时间为6个月～5年,复发5例.结论 腹腔镜自体组织修补术治疗小儿腹股沟斜疝疗效满意,手术时间短,创伤小,复发率低,并发症少,术后恢复快,同时可用于处理对侧腹股沟隐性疝或者用于双侧腹股沟疝修补术.     

Bilateral laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in patients with occult contralateral inguinal defects

Background A high incidence of bilateral inguinal defects found on laparoscopic evaluation during hernia repair has been reported. However, expectation of bilateral inguinal defects in patients who are diagnosed with pure unilateral hernia might be underestimated. A prospective clinical study was performed to reveal a rate of contralateral occult defects in patients who were diagnosed with unilateral inguinal hernia prior to primary laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair. Methods One hundred consecutive male patients with primary unilateral inguinal hernias were included in the study. Patients with known bilateral inguinal hernias as well as femoral, giant and combined hernias were excluded. All patients underwent TEP with exploration and evaluation of the contralateral groin. Results Median follow-up was 24 (4–46) months. Median age was 48 (18–73). Mean operative time was 42.2 (18–167) min. There were 78 (78%) patients with pure unilateral hernias and 22 (22%) patients with bilateral hernias whose contralateral inguinal defect or hernia was revealed only intraoperatively. Of those, 19 (86%) had right and 3 (14%) left occult defects. Minor complications occurred in 17 (17%) patients. There were no major complications. Two patients required a 23-hour stay in the hospital for urinary retention and hypoxia. Median period of returning to normal activity was 7 (5–14) days. There were two (2%) recurrences. Median period of returning to normal activity was 6.2 days after unilateral repair and 8.4 days after bilateral TEP. Conclusion This study revealed 22% occurrence of bilateral inguinal defects in the patients who are diagnosed with pure inguinal hernia before surgery, with higher incidence for those with left inguinal hernia. It appears that routine contralateral groin exploration and evaluation during TEP is valuable. Patients with occult bilateral hernias are benefit from bilateral TEP.     

Transinguinal laparoscopic exploration for identification of contralateral inguinal hernias in pediatric patients

BackgroundThe use of transinguinal laparoscopy for contralateral groin exploration during unilateral inguinal hernia repair has gained popularity. Controversy exists, however, regarding its use in older children. We report a large, single-surgeon series describing the safety and effectiveness of this procedure.MethodsA retrospective review was completed of all cases of open inguinal hernia repair from 1997 to 2009 performed by the senior author. Patients were explored laparoscopically through the ipsilateral hernia sac to assess the contralateral groin. Exclusion criteria were an inadequate sac or preoperatively diagnosed bilateral inguinal hernia.ResultsA total of 649 children underwent open inguinal hernia repair. A preoperative diagnosis of bilateral hernia was made in 18% (n = 117), and of the 532 unilateral cases, an inadequate sac was present in 15% (n = 79). Transinguinal laparoscopic exploration was performed on the remaining 453 children. A hernia or contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) was found in 38% of children (n = 173). In children older than 8 years, 32% demonstrated a hernia or CPPV on laparoscopic exploration. No complications occurred because of laparoscopy.ConclusionTransinguinal laparoscopic exploration is safe and effective and should be routinely performed in pediatric patients of all ages because of the high prevalence of contralateral hernia and CPPV.     

Laparoscopic diagnosis and repair of pediatric femoral hernia

Femoral hernias are often misdiagnosed and treated as inguinal hernias. Thus, laparoscopic groin exploration may be a valuable means of evaluating children with presumed recurrent inguinal hernias. This study describes the feasibility of laparoscopic groin exploration and femoral hernia repair in children. Four children (aged 2, 2, 3, and 17 years) with reported unilateral recurrent inguinal hernias underwent diagnostic laparoscopy via a 4-mm pediatric laparoscope. Contralateral defects were visualized in all four patients; there were three femoral hernias and one direct inguinal hernia. None of the contralateral defects had been suspected clinically. Of the seven femoral defects, five were repaired laparoscopically. One patulous defect was repaired by reapproximating the iliopubic tract to Cooper's ligament and overlaying a preperitoneal Teflon felt(R) patch. The other four defects were repaired using a Teflon felt(R) plug and preperitoneal patch. A total of three ports were required in each patient (umbilical, suprapubic, and one in between). Two femoral defects in one patient required open repair because a large lipoma prevented adequate visualization and diagnosis. The direct inguinal hernia was also repaired using the open technique. Laparoscopic groin exploration and femoral hernia repair in pediatric patients is safe and technically feasible. Its advantages, however, such as superior diagnostic ability and simultaneous bilateral tension-free repair, need to be validated with a larger study and longer follow-up.     

Combined open and laparoscopic approach to chronic pain following open inguinal hernia repair

Introduction: Chronic groin pain is the most common long-term complication after open inguinal hernia repair. Traditional surgical management of the associated neuralgia consists of injection therapy followed by groin exploration, mesh removal, and nerve transection. The resultant hernia defect may be difficult to repair from an anterior approach. We evaluate the outcomes of a combined laparoscopic and open approach for the treatment of chronic groin pain following open inguinal herniorrhaphy. Methods: All patients who underwent groin exploration for chronic neuralgia after a prior open inguinal hernia repair were prospectively analyzed. Patient demographics, type of prior hernia repair, and prior nonoperative therapies were recorded. The operation consisted of a standard three trocar laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair, followed by groin exploration, mesh removal, and nerve transection. Outcome measures included recurrent groin pain, numbness, hernia recurrence, and complications. Results: Twelve patients (11 male and 1 female) with a mean age of 41 years (range 29–51) underwent combined laparoscopic and open treatment for chronic groin pain. Ten patients complained of unilateral neuralgia, one patient had bilateral complaints, and one patient complained of orchalgia. All patients failed at least two attempted percutaneous nerve blocks. Prior repairs included Lichtenstein (n=9), McVay (n=1), plug and patch (n=1), and Shouldice (n=1). There were no intraoperative complications or wound infections. With a minimum of 6 weeks follow up, all patients were significantly improved. One patient complained of intermittent minor discomfort that required no further therapy. Two patients had persistent numbness in the ilioinguinal nerve distribution but remained satisfied with the procedure. Conclusions: A combined laparoscopic and open approach for postherniorrhaphy groin pain results in good to excellent patient satisfaction with no perioperative morbidity. It may be the preferred technique for the definitive management of chronic neuralgia after prior open hernia repair.     

Diagnosing the occult contralateral inguinal hernia

Background: The incidence of bilateral inguinal hernias reported for total extra peritoneal (TEP) laparoscopic hernia repair, which reaches 45%, appears to be higher than that seen in studies of transabdominal laparoscopic and open repair. Given the unique ability of diagnostic laparoscopy to diagnose occult contralateral hernias (OCH) accurately, this study looked at how concurrent transabdominal diagnostic laparoscopy (TADL) would influence planned TEP repairs. Methods: A prospective study oF 100 consecutive TEP cases was conducted. All patients had diagnostic laparoscopy via a 5-mm 45° scope through an umbilical incision with 15 mmHg of pneumoperitoneum, followed by laparoscopic TEPrepair. A contralateral occult hernia was diagnosed and repaired if a true peritoneal eventration through the inguinal region was observed. Results: Among the 100 patients, preoperative diagnosis suggested 31 bilateral hernias (31%), whereas TADL confirmed 25 bilateral hernias (25%). Of these 25 bilateral hernias, TADL confirmed 16 that had been diagnosed preoperatively (64%), but excluded 15 contralateral hernias that were incorrectly diagnosed (37%). Transabdominal diagnostic laparoscopy found nine OCHs, representing 36% of all bilateral hernias and 13% of the 69 preoperatively determined unilateral hernias. The preoperative physician examination false-negative rate for contralateral hernias was 36%, and the false-positive rate was 37%. In 26 cases (26%), TADL changed the operative approach. Conclusions: In this study, patients believed to have unilateral inguinal hernias had OCHs in 13% of cases when examined by TADL. The actual bilateral hernia incidence was 25%, with a 37% false-positive rate for preoperatively diagnosed bilateral hernias. The high rate of bilateral hernias reported by the TEP approach alone suggests that some OCH findings may be an artifact of the TEP dissection. However, failure to search for an OCH could result in up to 13% of patients subsequently requiring a second repair. Because some surgeons are concerned about unnecessary TEP dissection of the asymptomatic contralateral side, the approach described here may offer a solution to accurate diagnosis of the contralateral inguinal region during planned laparoscopic TEP hernia repair.     

Incidence of incipient contralateral hernia during laparoscopic hernia repair

Background: In addition to its well-known benefits of decreased postoperative pain and shorter recovery time, laparoscopic hernia repair has the major advantage of allowing the surgeon to explore the side contralateral to the clinically diagnosed hernia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of incipient unsuspected contralateral hernia during totally extraperitoneal (TEP) laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy and to analyze the risks and benefits of identifying these hernias at the time of the initial surgery. Methods: We did a retrospective review of the charts of all of the 724 male patients who underwent laparoscopic TEP repair of 958 groin hernias between September 1991 and September 1999. The initial clinical impression of the existence of unilateral or bilateral hernias was noted and compared to our operative findings. The same surgeon performed all the repairs. Exploration of the contralateral side was performed in a systematic fashion. A second mesh prosthesis was placed if a contralateral hernia was found. Results: Bilateral hernia repair was performed on 234 patients (32.3%). In 62 of them (11.2%), the contralateral hernia was diagnosed only at the time of the procedure. Operative time ranged from 14 to 185 min (median, 38.6). The operative time for the contralateral exploration ranged from 2 to 5 min (median, 2.8). The rate of complications was 4.1%, but no complications were directly related to the exploration of the asymptomatic side. Conclusion: Our study shows that a large number of inguinal hernias are undiagnosed by physical examination (11.2%). Systematic contralateral exploration using the TEP approach is safe and does not greatly increase the operative time. Early identification and repair of a contralateral hernia obviates the need for reoperation, reduces overall costs to the health care system, and eliminates any further work loss for the patient. Received: 24 November 1999/Accepted: 3 February 2000/Online publication: 8 May 2000     

Long-term follow-up of pediatric open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair

BackgroundPediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair is not widely accepted.Study designChildren 0–14 years who underwent inguinal hernia repair during 2010–2016 at Kaiser Permanente Northern California were classified into five groups: (1) open unilateral repair without contralateral exploration; (2) open unilateral repair with contralateral laparoscopic exploration (“open + explore”); (3) open bilateral repair; (4) laparoscopic unilateral repair; and (5) laparoscopic bilateral repair. Outcomes included ipsilateral reoperation, metachronous contralateral repair, incision time, and complications.ResultsThe study included 1697 children. Follow-up averaged 3.6 years after open (N = 1156) and 2.6 years after laparoscopic (N = 541) surgery. Metachronous contralateral repair was performed in 3.8% (26/683) of patients with open unilateral surgery without contralateral exploration, 0.7% (2/275) of open + explore patients, and 0.9% (3/336) of laparoscopic unilateral patients (p < 0.01). Ipsilateral repair was performed in 0.8% (10/1156) of open repairs and 0.3% (2/541) of laparoscopic repairs. Chart review confirmed 5 postoperative infections in 1156 patients with open surgery (0.43%) and 6 infections in 541 patients with laparoscopic surgery (1.11%) (p = 0.11).ConclusionOur study's laparoscopic and open approaches have similar low ipsilateral reoperation rates, incision times, and complications. The use of laparoscopy to visualize the contralateral side resulted in a significantly lower rate of metachronous contralateral repair.Level of evidenceLevel III.     

Is there an increased risk of complications with laparoscopy looking for a contralateral patent processus vaginalis?

Abstract Background: In young children with a unilateral congenital inguinal hernia, the relatively high incidence of an occult contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) has led to the practice of laparoscopic contralateral exploration. The effect on postoperative complications such as surgical site infection from performing the laparoscopy has not been previously reported. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on all patients who underwent a unilateral inguinal hernia repair from January 1, 2000 to March 1, 2010. We compared those children who underwent laparoscopic evaluation of the contralateral inguinal ring with those who did not. Patient demographics and operative data outcomes were evaluated. Student's t test was used to compare continuous variables, and the chi-squared test with Yates's correction was used for discrete variables. Results: There were 1164 patients who underwent a unilateral inguinal hernia repair during the 10-year study period, and laparoscopy was used in 1010 patients. There were no intraoperative complications from the laparoscopy. In the group who underwent laparoscopy, the mean age was 4.0±3.6 years old, and 88% were male. At laparoscopic exploration, 315 (31%) patients were found to have a CPPV. There were 10 patients (1.0%) who developed a surgical site infection. Infection developed in the side used for laparoscopic exploration in 9 patients and in the contralateral side in 1 patient. All patients with surgical site infections were treated initially with oral antibiotics. Abscesses developed in 2 patients, requiring incision and drainage. No patient required hospital admission or reoperation. In the 154 patients who did not undergo laparoscopy, mean age was 4.3±4.4 years (P=.35), and 85.8% were male (P=.54). There was one wound infection identified in this control group (0.6%) (P=1.00). There was no difference in rate of recurrence (control group, 0%; exploration group, 0.6%; P=.72). Conclusions: There is minimal risk of infection or recurrence following unilateral inguinal hernia repair, and this risk is not increased with the use of contralateral exploration using laparoscopy.     

Laparoscopic exploration for the clinically undetected hernia in infancy and childhood

BACKGROUND: Routine contralateral groin exploration in infants and children with a clinically detected inguinal hernia is the subject of much debate. The detection of a patent processus vaginalis by transinguinal laparoscopy has proven advantageous. However, controversy remains regarding the true incidence of a contralateral patent processus vaginalis as well as which of these will actually develop into a clinically apparent hernia. METHODS: From January 1997 through December 1999, 358 infants and children (aged 1 to 157 months, mean 32) were treated in the three University of Oklahoma teaching hospitals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for inguinal hernia. The findings at laparoscopic exploration of the contralateral side were recorded to determine the incidence of contralateral patency as it relates to a child's age, gender, and side of the initial clinical diagnosis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of a patent processus vaginalis on contralateral examination was 33% (117 of 358). All patent processus vaginalis were repaired. Bilateral inguinal hernia was significantly more common in younger patients (present in 50% if less than 1 year, 45% if less than 2 years, 37% if less than 5 years, and 15% if greater than 5 years of age; P <0.05). In boys, the incidence was 49%, 45%, and 32% in those under 1 year of age, under 2 years of age, and in total, respectively. In girls, the incidence was 59%, 50%, and 37% in those under 1 year of age, under 2 years of age, and in total, respectively. The side of the clinically detected hernia did not influence the laparoscopic findings of a contralateral hernia with 30% (50 of 169) positive findings on left inguinal exploration versus 31% (28 of 90) positive findings on right inguinal exploration. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of a contralateral patent processus vaginalis warrants routine laparoscopic exploration in infants and children undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia repair, especially those less than 5 years of age. The use of transinguinal laparoscopic explorations avoids unnecessary open exploration in 66% of infants and children undergoing inguinal hernia repair.     

Is the use of laparoscopy to determine presence of contralateral patent processus vaginalis justified in children greater than 2 years of age?

Purpose

Contralateral inguinal hernia exploration in cases of unilateral inguinal hernia remains a controversial topic. The authors have been using the in-line laparoscopic technique of contralateral evaluation for unilateral inguinal hernia in children less than 2 years of age. Because of the case of the procedure and lack of morbidity, we decided to expand the use of this procedure up to age 8 years in January 2000. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the incidence of contralateral hernia in children greater than 2 years justifies the procedure.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of all children who underwent contralateral exploration for unilateral inguinal exploration over a 20-month period. The procedure was offered routinely to all patients up to age 8 years. During the repair, the contralateral inguinal ring was examined laparoscopically using the in-line technique for the presence of a contralateral hernia. The incidence of contralateral hernia was determined, and the results were stratified by age. Patients who underwent unilateral inguinal hernia repair without laparoscopic contralateral exploration or bilateral inguinal hernia repair without laparoscopic contralateral explorations were excluded from the study.

Results

A total of 284 laparoscopic explorations were performed. Positive explorations were seen in 65 of 171 (38%) of children less than 2 years of age, 19 of 101 (20%) of children 2 to 8 years of age, and 1 of 12 children greater than 8 years of age (8%). There were no operative complications.

Conclusions

Laparoscopic contralateral exploration is safe and effective. Because of the low morbidity, the risk to benefit ratio warrants its use in children up to 8 years of age. This sample size is too small to make any meaningful statement in children older than 8 years.