Correlation between ventriculoperitoneal shunts and inguinal hernias in children: an 8-year follow-up

Laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernia in a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: A case report

Laparoscopic surgery in patients with a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is reportedly associated with increased intracranial pressure secondary to high intraperitoneal pressure and retrograde infection due to intraperitoneal infection. We herein report the first case of transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair without catheter manipulation for a patient with a VP shunt. A 69-year-old man with a VP shunt was suspected to have an inguinal hernia based on symptoms and examination findings. With a pneumoperitoneum pressure of 10 mm Hg, the VP shunt was not clamped and mesh was placed while confirming cerebrospinal fluid outflow from the tip of the catheter. The patient developed no shunt-associated complications and was discharged 3 days postoperatively. TAPP inguinal hernia repair without catheter manipulation is a potential surgical option for patients with a VP shunt.

High incidence of inguinal hernias among patients with congenital abdominal wall defects: a population-based case-control study

The aim of this nationwide population-based case-control study was to assess the incidence of inguinal hernia (IH) among patients with congenital abdominal wall defects. All infants born with congenital abdominal wall defects between Jan 1, 1998, and Dec 31, 2014, were identified in the Finnish Register of Congenital Malformations. Six controls matched for gestational age, sex, and year of birth were selected for each case in the Medical Birth Register. The Finnish Hospital Discharge Register was searched for relevant diagnosis codes for IH, and hernia incidence was compared between cases and controls. We identified 178 infants with gastroschisis and 150 with omphalocele and selected randomly 1968 matched, healthy controls for comparison. Incidence of IH was significantly higher in gastroschisis girls than in matched controls, relative risk (RR) 7.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.25-23.07). In boys with gastroschisis, no statistically significant difference was observed, RR 1.60 (95% CI 0.75-3.38). Omphalocele was associated with higher risk of IH compared to matched controls, RR 6.46 (95% CI 3.90-10.71), and the risk was equally elevated in male and female patients.Conclusion: Risk of IH is significantly higher among patients with congenital abdominal wall defects than in healthy controls supporting hypothesis that elevated intra-abdominal pressure could prevent natural closure of processus vaginalis. Parents should be informed of this elevated hernia risk to avoid delays in seeking care. We also recommend careful follow-up during the first months of life as most of these hernias are diagnosed early in life. What is Known: • Inguinal hernia is one of the most common disorders encountered by a pediatric surgeon. • Prematurity increases the risk of inguinal hernia. What is New: • Children with congenital abdominal wall defects have a significantly higher risk of inguinal hernia than general population. • Families should be informed of this elevated hernia risk to avoid delays in seeking care.

Incidence of and Risk Factors for Pediatric Metachronous Contralateral Inguinal Hernia: Analysis of a 17-Year Nationwide Database in Taiwan

Background

Previous prospective, retrospective, and meta-analysis studies revealed that the overall incidence of metachronous contralateral inguinal hernia (MCIH) ranges from 5.76% to 7.3%, but long-term follow-up postoperative data are scant. We identified the incidence and risk factors of MCIH in pediatric patients during the follow-up using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).

Methods

Between 1996/01/01 and 2008/12/31, all pediatric patients with primary unilateral inguinal hernia repair who were born after 1996/01/01 were collected via ICD-9 diagnostic and procedure codes recorded in NHIRD. Patients with another operation during the same admission, complicated hernia, or laparoscopic procedure were excluded. Several reported risk factors, including age, sex, preterm birth, low body weight, and previous ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement, were used for analysis. The primary endpoint was the repairmen of MCIH following the initial surgery. All patients were followed until 2013/12/31 or withdrawal from national health insurance.

Results

A total of 31,100 pediatric patients underwent unilateral inguinal hernia repair, and 111.76 months of median follow-up data were collected. The overall rate of MCIH was 12.3%. Among the 31,100 patients who had the hernia repair, 63.6% had MCIH within 2 years and 91.5% had MCIH within 5 years. After initial surgery, the incidence of MCIH gradually and significantly decreased with age up to approximately 6 years. Multivariable analysis showed that age <4 y and girls were risk factors for subsequent MCIH.

Conclusions

After 17 years of follow-up, the overall MCIH rate was 12.3%, and 91.7% of patients needed repair for MCIH within the first 5 years after initial surgery. Age <4 years and girls were risk factors for MCIH. The contralateral exploration for inguinal hernia should be considered among these patients.

Inguinal Hernias Represent the Most Frequent Surgical Complication after Kasai in Biliary Atresia Infants

Biliary atresia (BA) is an orphan medical condition of the newborn, resulting in end-stage liver cirrhosis due to obliterative cholangiopathy of the extrahepatic bile duct. Although Kasai's hepatoportoenterostomy (KPE) is the well-established first-line therapy, little is known about its surgical complications. 153 patients receiving open KPE treated at a single center between 1994 and 2014 were analysed retrospectively regarding short-term complications and survival with the native liver. In brief, 40.5% of patients suffered from 1–3 surgical complications, inguinal hernias (IH) being most prevalent (40.0%). In BA patients, incidence of IH was associated with male gender (p = 0.002), the syndromic form of BA (p = 0.038), and percutaneous drainage for ascites (p = 0.002). No association was found with prematurity (p = 0.074) or birth weight (p = 0.912) in our study. In conclusion, IH frequently develops after open KPE of BA patients, but this complication does not negatively affect the patient's outcome. Nevertheless, inspection of the internal inguinal ring and prophylactic closure of inapparent hernias should be discussed in order to prevent secondary surgical procedures.

Alendronate and risk of lower limb ischemic vascular events: a population-based cohort study

While alendronate inhibits atherosclerosis experimentally, its effect on lower limb ischemia risk is unknown. Our results suggest that alendronate reduces the risk of lower limb ischemic vascular events requiring surgical interventions, including amputation. Our results are relevant for patients at risk of lower limb ischemia undergoing fragility fracture treatment.

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to determine the association between alendronate therapy and the risk of lower limb ischemic vascular events (i.e., bypass surgery, endovascular stenting, and major lower limb amputation for lower limb ischemia).

METHODS

We used a nationwide population-based cohort of patients aged over 50 years diagnosed with a vertebral or hip fracture between January 1999 and June 2010. We compared the risk of lower limb ischemic vascular events between patients undergoing treatment with alendronate (n = 3,731) and an age- and sex-matched comparison group (n = 7,462) over 5 years of follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated using Cox proportional regression analysis with adjustment for treatment status, comorbidities, and other variables.

RESULTS

Ten patients (0.3 %) in the alendronate treatment group had a lower limb ischemic vascular event compared with 51 patients (0.7 %) in the comparison group. The incidence of lower limb ischemic vascular events was 8.4 (95 % CI, 4.0-15.5) per 10,000 person-years in the alendronate group and 21.8 (95 % CI, 16.2-28.7) per 10,000 person-years in the comparison group. The risk of a lower limb ischemic vascular event in the alendronate treatment group was lower (adjusted HR, 0.41; 95 % CI, 0.21-0.82).

CONCLUSION

Alendronate treatment was associated with a reduced risk of lower limb ischemic vascular events among hip or vertebral fragility fracture patients.

A longitudinal cohort study of incidence rates of inguinal hernia repair in 0- to 6-year-old children

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

This study provides epidemiologic data on the incidence of inguinal hernia repair in preschool children using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We believe that the data on hernia repair in said database provide a close approximation of the true incidence of inguinal hernia in young children.

METHOD

A cohort of 1,073,891 deidentified individuals was randomly selected from an insured population of 23 million. Subjects born during the period 1997-2004 were followed from birth to 6 years. The chi-square test and logistic regression modeling were used for statistical analyses.

RESULT

A total of 92,308 individuals were born during the study period. Of these individuals, 3881 underwent hernia repairs. The cumulative incidence of hernia repair in children aged 0 to 6 years was 4.20%/7 years. The boy/girl ratio was 4.27:1 and the unilateral/bilateral ratio was 3.77:1. The incidence of hernia repair among boys was highest during the first year of life, but then decreased with age. In contrast, the incidence among girls remained stable during the first 6 years of life. Boys younger than 1 year had more bilateral repairs than boys in other age groups (p<0.0001) and girls had significantly more bilateral repairs than boys (p<0.0001). Subjects with a history of preterm birth also had a higher incidence of hernia repair than subjects who were born at full term (odds ratio=2.34, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Yearly incidence of hernia repair was obtained from a nationwide database. Some of the observations have not been reported elsewhere.

Inguinal and genital anomalies

Problems of the groin and genitalia are a common presenting complaint in both pediatrician's offices and emergency departments. The authors endeavor to provide a comprehensive review of the most common inguinal and genital anomalies encountered by the pediatrician, with a special focus on examination and management.

Younger boys have a higher risk of inguinal hernia after ventriculo-peritoneal shunt: a 13-year nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Few studies associate ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VPS) in children with higher incidence of inguinal hernia (IH). These institutional-based data have small numbers and provided little information about the effects of age and sex. This study aims to examine the incidences and risk factors of IH in children with hydrocephalus treated with VPS.

STUDY DESIGN

Using a 13-year nationwide database, a cohort of 1,568 children younger than 5 years of age who received VPS were followed up for IH. Of these, 194 received IH repair. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were conducted.

RESULTS

Overall incidence of IH after VPS in children younger than 5 years old was 22.9 per 1,000 person-years. The average follow-up time was 5.41 years, and the mean time interval between VPS and IH repair was 1.14 years. Age-specific incidences were 45.0, 21.3, 18.5, and 4.1 per 1000 person-years for neonates, infants, toddlers, and preschool children, respectively. Compared with preschool children, neonates, infants, and toddlers, were more likely to have IH (crude hazard ratio = 9.8, 5.3, and 4.4; p < 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.006, respectively). Sex and age were significantly different in children with and without IH (both, p < 0.001). Differences of cumulative incidence rates in the 4 age groups were significant in both male and female patients (p < 0.001 and p = 0.023, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The patient's age on VPS surgery significantly affects the likelihood of subsequent IH development. IH is more likely to develop in neonates after VPS than in infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. This age-related effect is more prominent in boys than in girls.