One surgeon experiences in childhood inguinal hernias

Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal ligation for pediatric inguinal hernia: a novel surgical treatment

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic repair is widely performed for the management of pediatric inguinal hernia (PIH), and different laparoscopic surgical methods are used. Herein, we present the application of laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal ligation (TEPL), which is a novel surgical method for PIH repair and is similar to traditional high ligation.

METHODS

In this study, 103 pediatric patients underwent laparoscopic TEPL for inguinal hernia. Data including demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, time of surgery, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The patient's median age at surgery was 4.3 years, and the median body weight at surgery was 18 kg. The preoperative diagnoses were as follows: n = 53, right inguinal hernia; n = 45, left inguinal hernia; and n = 5, bilateral inguinal hernia. All patients were discharged on the day of surgery. The operative times were 27.2 min for unilateral inguinal hernia and 28.8 min for bilateral inguinal hernia. All patients, except one who had scrotal bruise, did not present with postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic TEPL, which is similar to traditional high ligation, is used for the treatment of PIH. Moreover, it is safe, beneficial, and feasible. Double ligation is performed on the extraperitoneal space, and the assessment of contralateral patent processus vaginalis is not complex. However, further studies should be conducted to assess for long-term outcomes.

Assessment of the testicular vascularity after inguinal herniotomy in children: a prospective color Doppler study

Background

Knowing transient vascular perfusion abnormalities of testes after open inguinal herniotomy procedure is essential for the surgeon who is mainly responsible for the patient outcome.

Purpose

To assess the effect of open inguinal herniotomy procedure on the testicular blood supply in children using duplex ultrasonography (DUS).

Material and Methods

A prospective observational study included 60 boys (mean age = 9.46 ± 14.46 months; age range = 2 months–6 years) who underwent open inguinal herniotomy operation. Using DUS, the testicular volume, peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistive index (RI) were calculated preoperatively and one week, one month, and six months postoperatively. The pre- and postoperative measurements were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, or Student’s t-test when appropriate.

Results

On physical examination, the hernias were unilateral in 57 boys and bilateral in three boys. Comparison between testicular volumes preoperatively and postoperatively showed no significant change ( P > 0.05). There was a statistically significant increase of PSV and RI one week and one month postoperatively ( P < 0.0001) but returned to be near to the preoperative values at six months. As regards EDV, there was a slight but non-significant postoperative increase ( P > 0.05) which did not return to the preoperative value.

Conclusion

The affection of testicular vascularity postoperatively is transient and returns to be near to the preoperative values in the late postoperative period (six months postoperatively). Additionally, no significant change in testicular volume postoperatively.

A 9-year experience study of single-port micro-laparoscopic repair of pediatric inguinal hernia using a simple needle

Purpose

As laparoscopic techniques and equipments improve, laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been gaining popularity. The objective of the study was to summarize 9 years of experience using a single-port micro-laparoscopic approach to repair pediatric inguinal hernias with a simple hernia needle.

Methods

1880 children with inguinal hernias were enrolled using micro-laparoscopic surgery between June 2009 and 2018. All patients underwent high ligation surgery using a single-port micro-laparoscopic technique. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

All micro-laparoscopic surgeries were successfully performed in the 1880 patients, who ranged in age from 2 months to 14 years (3.66 ± 2.96 years) including 1622 males and 258 females. Among them, 1299 cases were unilateral hernias and 581 cases were bilateral hernias. The average operating time was 12.5 ± 3.5 min for a unilateral hernia and 20.5 ± 4.5 min for bilateral hernias. All patients were discharged 1–2 days after surgery, and the average length of their hospital stay was 2–4 days. Complications of knot reaction and pneumoscrotum occurred in 5 cases (0.27%) and 54 cases (2.87%), respectively, but these cases were properly managed, with no major impact on the operational outcomes. All patients were followed up for 3–65 months; there were 13 recurrent cases (0.69%).

Conclusions

Single-port micro-laparoscopic herniorrhaphy in children using a simple hernia needle is a reliable and minimally invasive procedure.