Giant inguinal hernia in a 5-year-old boy with hydrocephalus: a case report

A case of giant left inguinal hernia in a 5-year-old boy is presented. The patient had multiple neurosurgical procedures performed in the neonatal period for spina bifida and hydrocephalus, including the placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The hernia was first noted during this period but was not repaired, and the child was lost to follow-up until age 5. The hernia underwent progressive enlargement over this interval, and the eventual development of gastrointestinal symptoms prompted the "rediscovery" of the defect. The majority of the child's intestines were within the hernia, with at least partial loss of domain. The unique preoperative and postoperative management of this difficult problem is described.