Testicular infarction complicating strangulated inguinal herniae in Nigerian children

Between 1985 and 1990 30 children were operated on for strangulated inguinal herniae in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Six of the children (20%) had testicular infarction secondary to the strangulated hernia. Half of the children with infarcted testes had viable bowel at operation. The surgeon dealing with African children with strangulated herniae needs to be sensitised to this condition and the possibility that the testis may well be infarcted before the intestines.