Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair by modified peritoneal leaflet closure: Description and initial results in children

Effect of intravenous different drugs on the prevention of restlessness during recovery period of pediatric laparoscopic surgery: a randomized control trial

PURPOSE

To explored the impact of dexmedetomidine and esketamine in mitigating restlessness during the postoperative recovery phase following laparoscopic surgery in children.

METHODS

102 individuals aged 1 to 7 years experiencing laparoscopic surgery were randomly allocated into three groups, each accepting 1 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine, 0.3 mg/kg of esketamine, or saline immediately at the end of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum. Emergence agitation (EA) occurrence was assessed by PAED scale and 5-point agitation scale. Pain was judged using Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale. The recovery time, extubation time, and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay time were recorded for all three groups.

RESULTS

Patients administered 1 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine (8.8%) and individuals given 0.3 mg/kg of esketamine (11.8%) showed lower incidences of emergence agitation compared to those receiving saline (35.5%; P = 0.009). There was no statistically significant difference in the time to discharge from the PACU among the three groups of patients (P > 0.05). The recovery time and extubation time were notably extended in the dexmedetomidine group (40.88 ± 12.95 min, 42.50 ± 13.38 min) when compared to the saline group (32.56 ± 13.05 min, 33.29 ± 11.30 min; P = 0.009, P = 0.010).

CONCLUSION

Following CO2 pneumoperitoneum in pediatric laparoscopic surgeries, the intravenous administration of 1 μg/kg dexmedetomidine or 0.3 mg/kg esketamine effectively lowers EA occurrence without extending PACU time.

Laparoscopic hernia repair in children: does recreating the open operation improve outcomes? A systematic review

PURPOSE

The use of laparoscopy for paediatric inguinal hernia repairs has increased significantly over the past 2 decades. However, there is significant variation in the reported recurrence rates in the literature, with many studies reporting higher rates than the open operation. This may be explained by the range of different techniques currently included under the term laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. The purpose of this study is to determine whether dividing the hernia sac before ligation improves surgical outcomes following a paediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair compared to ligation alone.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed following PRISMA guidelines of all studies reporting the outcomes following paediatric laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair where the technique was recorded as laparoscopic suture ligation alone (LS) or laparoscopic sac division and suture ligation (LSDS). Studies were assessed for risk of bias and exclusion criteria included reported follow-up of less than 6 months.

RESULTS

A total of 8518 LS repairs and 6272 LSDS repairs were included in the final analysis. LSDS repair was associated with a significantly lower recurrence rate (odds ratio 0.51, 95% CI 0.36-0.71, p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the rates of testicular ascent or atrophy.

CONCLUSION

Recreating the open operation by hernia sac division followed by suture ligation significantly reduces the risk of hernia recurrence.

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).

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children: Article review and the preliminary Maltese experience

BACKGROUND

In the past two decades, laparoscopy has provided an alternative approach to inguinal hernia repair. The aim of this review is to carry out a retrospective systematic analysis of articles dealing with laparoscopic hernia repair in children and a review of the Maltese experience.

METHODS

Data was obtained from publications from 2002 to 2019. The endpoints include: patient demographics, clinical presentations, laparoscopic tools, ports, suture used, technical remarks, length of surgery, hospital stay, complications and follow-up.

RESULTS

32 studies were included with a total of 10,183 patients. Most articles documented the use of 1 port. Length of surgery ranged from an average of 10 to 138 min. Ipsilateral recurrences were reported in 0.83% of cases, while 0.17% required conversion to open.

PRELIMINARY MALTESE EXPERIENCE

In our centre, a population of 514, 564 is covered (16% under the age of 18). A total of 14 cases of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair were carried out from August 2018 till October 2020. The neonatal laparoscopic set-up involves a 30⁰ laparoscope, inserted via a 5 mm umbilical port, with 2 stab incisions allowing the use of 3 mm devices. Intra-corporeal purse string suture technique is used. The length of surgery ranged from 1 hr to 2 hr 30 min. There was 1 case of ipsilateral recurrence and another requiring conversion to open surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in children is a versatile and safe procedure that can be carried out with minimal complications and low reoperation rates.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Adolescent inguinal hernia repair: a review of the literature and recommendations for selective management

BACKGROUND

The choice of how to repair inguinal hernias in adolescents has historically been a matter of experience and differed between pediatric surgeons who traditionally performed a high ligation of the sac and general surgeons who typically perform a repair using mesh. This up-to-date review thoroughly examines the subject and discusses the suitability of both types of repairs in this unique age group.

METHODS

A 20-year Pub Med search was performed for the following terms: adolescent hernia repair including reports of mesh hernia repair in adolescents and postoperative complications including chronic inguinal pain and recurrences.

RESULTS

The evidence in the literature suggests that while there appears to be no difference between the two types of repairs with regards to recurrence and complications, changes in the pelvic floor physiology in adolescents suggest that a selective, individualized approach can be recommended depending on the size and nature of the presenting pathology.

CONCLUSIONS

A selective approach to the inguinal hernia in adolescent patients based on the size of the defect appears justified.

Laparoscopy is increasingly used for pediatric inguinal hernia repair

INTRODUCTION

Inguinal hernia repairs (IHR) are commonly performed by pediatric surgeons in the United States. The operative approach depends on surgeon preference with no definitive prospective studies comparing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) versus traditional inguinal hernia repair (TIHR). We aim to assess current practice, hypothesizing that laparoscopy is increasingly used for pediatric IHR.

MATERIAL & METHODS

The Children's Hospital Association (CHA) Pediatric Health Information System was queried for IHRs performed between 01/01/2009 and 12/31/2018. Demographics, procedure type, hernia laterality, and cost were obtained. Patients were grouped by procedure type (laparoscopic/traditional).

RESULTS

125,249 IHRs were performed at 32 CHA hospitals during the ten-year study period. 115,782 (92.4%) were TIHR and 9467 (7.6%) LIHR. Use of laparoscopy increased 5-fold from 3% to 15% over the study period. When comparing laparoscopic to traditional IHR groups, there were more females (28.3% vs 12.6%), African-Americans (19.7% vs 14.4%), government-insured (50% vs 45.2%), younger patients (4.2 vs 4.4 years), bilateral IHRs (11.4% vs 7.9%), and higher adjusted total hospital cost ($3,791 vs $2995) in the laparoscopic group (p<0.0001, all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopy for pediatric IHR is increasing at CHA hospitals where nearly 1 in 6 children currently undergoes a laparoscopic repair. The long-term outcomes with laparoscopic repair are worthy of future study.

Umbilical two-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure for patent processus vaginalis in boys: incision-hiding and solo-like surgery

Background

Transumbilical two-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure for the treatment of processus vaginalis patency in boys has been practising recent years. The applicable instruments and skills are still evolving. In this study, we used a self-made needle assisted by a disposable dissecting forceps to practise this minimal invasive method for patent processus vaginalis in boys. Its safety and effectiveness were studied. The methods for depth and orientation perceptions were analyzed.

Methods

From January 2020 to November 2020, boys characteristic of symtomatic patency of processus vaginalis were performed open surgery consecutively. From December 2020, the authors begun to propose transumbilical two-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure for this kind of boy patients. The open group included fifteen boys and the laparoscopic group included ten ones. The data of the patients age, constituent ratios of unilateral and bilateral patency, operating time, postoperative stay in hospital, follow-up time, conversion, postoperative complications were assessed. Throughout the laparoscopic process, the parallel and synchronous movements of lens pole and dissecting forceps were maintained. Vas deferens protrude was imagined as one of the point to form the triangular manipulation plane.

Results

There were no statistically significant difference between the laparoscopic group and the open group for the following items: age, operating time, the constituent ratios of unilateral or bilateral patency of processus vaginalis (P > 0.05). Postoperative stay in hospital and follow-up time of the laparoscopic group was significantly shorter than that of the open group (P = 0.0000). No laparoscopic case was converted to open surgery. After 10 cases of laparoscopic practice, orientation perception was established. There were no postoperative complications for all the patients.

Conclusion

Our preliminary experience suggested that umbilical two-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure is safe and convenient for patent processus vaginalis treatment in boys. It has the advantage of incision-hiding and can be manipulated like a solo-like surgery.

Learning Curve for Laparoscopic Repair of Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Using Percutaneous Internal Ring Suturing

Background: Percutaneous internal ring suturing (PIRS) is a simple and popular technique for the treatment of inguinal hernia in children. The aim of this study was to analyze the learning curves during implementation of PIRS in our department. Methods: A total of 318 pediatric patients underwent hernia repair using the PIRS technique by three pediatric surgeons with different levels of experience in laparoscopic surgery. These patients were enrolled in a prospective cohort study during the period October 2015–January 2021. Surgical times, intraoperative and postoperative complications, in addition to outcomes of treatment were compared among the pediatric surgeons. Results: Regarding operative time a significant difference among the surgeons was found. Operative time significantly decreased after 25–30 procedures per surgeon. The surgeon with advanced experience in laparoscopic surgery had significantly less operative times for both unilateral (12 (interquartile range, IQR 10.5, 16.5) min vs. 21 (IQR 16.5, 28) min and 25 (IQR 21.5, 30) min; p = 0.002) and bilateral (19 (IQR 14, 21) min vs. 28 (IQR 25, 33) min and 31 (IQR 24, 36) min; p = 0.0001) hernia repair, compared to the other two surgeons. Perioperative complications, conversion, and ipsilateral recurrence rates were higher at the beginning, reaching the benchmarks when each surgeon performed at least 30 PIRS procedures. The most experienced surgeon had the lowest number of complications (1.4%) and needed a fewer number of cases to reach the plateau. The other two surgeons with less experience in laparoscopic surgery had higher rates of complications (4.4% and 5.4%) and needed a higher number of cases to reach the plateau (p = 0.190). Conclusions: A PIRS learning curve for perioperative and postoperative complications, recurrences, and conversion rates reached the plateau after each surgeon had performed at least 30 cases. After that number of cases PIRS is a safe and effective approach for pediatric hernia repair. A surgeon with an advanced level of experience in pediatric laparoscopic surgery adopted the technique more easily and had a significantly faster learning curve.

Laparoscopic Repair of Pediatric Inguinal Hernia: Disconnection of the Hernial Sac Versus Disconnection and Peritoneal Closure

Background/Purpose: Many techniques have been described for the treatment of pediatric inguinal hernia (PIH). Some authors emphasized the importance of disconnecting the sac, to create a scar, and to close the peritoneum mimicking the open approach. Others stated that peritoneal disconnection alone is enough for treatment of PIH regardless of the size of the internal ring. In this study, we compare the short-term results of laparoscopic disconnection of PIH sac versus disconnection and peritoneal closure. Patients and Methods: The study was carried from March 2016 to March 2017, on 34 patients with 40 PIH. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: group A, subjected to laparoscopic hernia sac disconnection and group B, subjected to laparoscopic hernia sac disconnection with peritoneal closure. Both groups were compared regarding the operative details, including complications and conversion, postoperative complications and recurrence. Results: Group A included 20 hernias in 15 patients, whereas group B included 20 hernias in 19 patients. The age ranged from 1 to 23 months. In group A, the mean operative time (OT) was 34.6 and 39.4 minutes, for unilateral and bilateral cases, respectively, whereas in group B, it was 45.1 minutes for unilateral cases and 65 minutes for 1 bilateral case. The OT was significantly shorter in group A for unilateral cases. There was no conversion and no intraoperative complications. Three recurrences occurred in group A (15% of hernias/20% of cases) with no recurrences in group B; difference was statistically insignificant. All 3 recurrences occurred in hernias with an internal ring diameter (IRD) >10 mm. Hospital stay was statistically shorter in group B. Conclusion: Both laparoscopic sac disconnection with internal ring closure and sac disconnection only are safe and effective treatments of PIH. However, the latter technique is not recommended for cases with IRD >10 mm because of the unacceptable high recurrence with rings >10 mm.

A Faster and Simpler Operation Method for Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair in Children

Background: Inguinal hernias (IHs) are common in infants and children. The key step in inguinal hernia repair is high ligation of the hernia sac. The current main treatment methods for IHs are open and laparoscopic surgery. Over the past two decades, laparoscopic herniorrhaphy has increased in popularity. Herein, we introduced a new method to laparoscopically treat IHs. The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical effects and advantages of this new operation technique for IHs, which is called the "hernia sac ligation by single-incision laparoscopic surgery with a double-line band method." Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all children who underwent initial laparoscopic herniorrhaphy at our center over a 1-year period. A single surgeon performed all surgeries using the modified single-incision laparoscopic technique. Intraoperative findings and complications, operative times, and postoperative complications were reviewed for all children. Results: All 119 surgeries were successfully completed (58 bilateral and 61 unilateral). In total, 54 out of 58 children had contralateral openings discovered at time of surgery and underwent unplanned bilateral laparoscopic hernia repair. This clinical study included 99 boys patients and 20 girls patients (boy-to-girl ratio was 4.95:1). The age range at the time of surgery was 0.5 to 10 years, and the average age was 2.63 years. No patient had any intraoperative complication. Postoperative complications occurred in 1 boy (0.56%) who had a hernia recurrence that required open repair. The addition of auxiliary operating forceps was required for 8 boys (6.72%). No child had scrotum edema, wound infection, stitch granuloma, or iatrogenic cryptorchidism. Overall, a 93.3% operative success rate was noted with the modified technique. Conclusions: The modified technique is a safe and effective operation method, which can significantly shorten the operation time, reduce recurrence rates, and result in minimal scarring. Additionally, the procedure is expected to be less expensive.

Incidence of Cord Hydrocele After Laparoscopic Intracorporeal Inguinal Hernia Repair in Male Pediatric Patients: A Comparative Study Between Removing and Leaving the Hernial Sac

Purpose: Many laparoscopic repair techniques are available for treating pediatric inguinal hernias. The development of a cord hydrocele (CH) after laparoscopic pediatric inguinal hernia repair (LPIHR) in male patients can lead to reoperation. We performed the present study to evaluate the effects of hernial sac removal on the occurrence of CH after laparoscopic transabdominal inguinal hernia repair in male patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 3145 male pediatric patients aged <10 years who underwent LPIHR from January 2014 to March 2017. We categorized patients into two groups according to the operative technique: Group 1 (high ligation without hernial sac removal, 1592 patients) and Group 2 (high ligation with hernial sac removal, 1553 patients). We removed the hernial sacs in the first half of the study period and not in the second half of the study period. We analyzed the surgical outcomes in both groups after the same follow-up period of ≥2.5 years. Results: We found no significant differences in demographic or clinical parameters between the treatment groups. CH occurred in 6 patients in Group 1 only; no patients in Group 2 developed CH (0.38% [6/1592] versus 0.00% [0/1553], respectively; P = .044). The interval from the initial hernia repair to the hydrocelectomy in 6 patients was 20.8 months. The recurrence rate was higher in Group 1 (0.4%, 7/1592) versus Group 2 (0.0%, 0/1553) (P = .025). In the logistic regression test, Group 2 predicted a lower CH occurrence rate than Group 1 (odds ratio = 1.004, 95% confidence interval = 1.001-1.007; P = .016). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that hernial sac removal resulted in a small but significant decrease in the risk of postoperative CH.

Needlescopic assisted internal ring suturing; a novel application of low-cost home-made instruments for pediatric inguinal hernia repair

BACKGROUND

Congenital inguinal hernia (CIH) is a commonly performed surgical procedure in infants and children. Single port laparoscopic hernia repair using percutaneous internal inguinal ring (IIR) suturing procedure is a widely employed technique for indirect inguinal hernia repair in children. The majority of extracorporeal techniques use extracorporeal knotting and burying the knot subcutaneously. This may result in many drawbacks. The aim of this multicenter study is to introduce a new technique for pediatric inguinal hernia repair using only needles without any laparoscopic instruments.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a multicenter study which was conducted at Pediatric Surgical Departments of Al-Azhar, Mansoura, Alexandria and Tanta Universities during the period from January 2015 to June 2017. 314 patients with CIH underwent Needlescopic Assisted Internal Ring Suturing (NAIRS) after cauterization of the hernia sac at its neck. The main outcome measures were: feasibility, safety of the technique, operative time, recurrence rate, hydrocele and cosmetic results.

RESULTS

A total of 314 patients with CIH were corrected by NAIRS. They were 232 males and 82 females. The mean age was 28.12 ± 1.3 months (range 6-120 months). The mean operative time was 12.6 ± 1.7 min (range 8-15 min) for unilateral cases and 18.6 ± 1.7 min (range 14-20 min) for the bilateral repairs. All cases were completed laparoscopically without major intraoperative complications. No recurrence was detected in this study. No wound complications or umbilical hernias developed. Hydrocele occurred in five males (2.16%), without detection of testicular atrophy or iatrogenic ascent of the testis.

CONCLUSION

This preliminary study showed that NAIRS after cauterization of the neck of the hernia sac in infants and children is safe, feasible, reproducible with excellent cosmetic results.

Minimally Invasive Surgery in Pediatric Urology: Adaptations and New Frontiers

As the frontiers of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) continue to expand, the availability and implementation of new technology in pediatric urology are increasing. MIS is already an integral part of pediatric urology, but there is still much more potential change to come as both recent and upcoming advances in laparoscopic and robotic surgery are surveyed.