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Complications of inguinal hernia surgery in children
Syed Raees Hussain Taqvi1, Jamshed Akhtar, Tayyaba Batool
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, National Institute of Child Health, Karachi. taqvi@cyber.net.pk
Insights
Pediatric inguinal hernia surgery using the Rehbein procedure demonstrated minimal postoperative complications. This study found low rates of scrotal edema, hematoma, wound infection, and hernia recurrence in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Surgical Outcomes
- Hernia Repair
Background:
- Inguinal hernias are common in children, requiring surgical intervention.
- Elective repair aims to prevent complications such as incarceration and strangulation.
- Assessing postoperative complications is crucial for evaluating surgical techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and types of postoperative complications following elective inguinal hernia surgery in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Rehbein procedure in this population.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study was conducted on 223 children undergoing elective inguinal hernia repair.
- The Rehbein procedure was utilized for all repairs.
- Patients were followed for up to 9 months, with assessments including physical examination and scrotal ultrasound.
Main Results:
- The study included 223 pediatric patients, with a mean age and follow-up duration noted.
- Postoperative complications observed were scrotal edema (2.97%), hematoma (0.49%), wound infection (0.99%), and hernia recurrence (1.79%).
- No cases of testicular atrophy or ascent were reported, and all recurrences were successfully reoperated.
Conclusions:
- Elective inguinal hernia surgery in children, particularly using the Rehbein procedure, is associated with a low rate of postoperative complications.
- The technique appears safe and effective, with minimal impact on testicular development.
Objective:
To determine the postoperative complications of elective inguinal hernia surgery in children
Design:
Descriptive study.
Place And Duration Of Study:
Surgical Unit B, National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, from February 2004 to November 2005.
Patients And Methods:
Children with inguinal hernia, admitted electively through surgical outpatient, were included. Patients operated earlier and presenting with complications were excluded. Patients with concomitant diseases, regarded as predisposing factors for hernia development, were also excluded. Physical examination and relevant investigations (hemoglobin level and ultrasound of scrotum) were performed. Inguinal hernia was repaired electively by Rehbein procedure. Patients were followed at day 7, 1 month, 3 months and 9 months to note the postoperative complications of the surgery. Ultrasound was repeated at 6 and 9 months postoperatively for the size of testes.
Results:
A total of 223 patients with inguinal hernia were included in the study. Age ranged from 8 days to 12 years. There were 188 males with 75 patients under 1 year of age. The longest follow-up was upto 9 months in 133 patients. The complications of scrotal edema occurred in 6 (2.97%), haematoma in 1(0.49%), wound infection in 2 (0.99%) and 5 events of recurrence of hernia in 4 patients. All appeared within 3 months of follow-up. Four recurrent hernia were operated. In all cases intact sac was found. No patient developed decrease in size of testes nor ascent of testes was noted at follow-up.
Conclusion:
in this series, there were minimal complications observed in relation to inguinal hernia surgery.
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