• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2007

Contralateral exploration in children with unilateral inguinal hernia is controversial. This study was done to identify risk factors for the development of contralateral inguinal hernia in patients with unilateral inguinal hernia. The clinical experience of 4,206 inguinal hernias repaired by one pediatric surgeon on 3,358 children at HanYang University Hospital from September 1979 to December 2002 was analyzed. 1,868 (55.6%) hernias occurred on right side, 1,190 (35.4%) on left side, and 300 (8.9%) were bilateral. 2,702 children were boys and 656 were girls (M:F = 4.1:1). 170 children of 3,058 children with unilateral hernias (5.6%) developed contralateral inguinal hernia at 1 day to 95 months after herniotomy. 146 children were boys and 24 were girls (M:F = 6.1:1). The patients who had had herniotomy before 1 year of age developed contralateral hernia in 17.4%, compared with 5.6% overall average. The earlier the first herniotomy was performed, the more frequently contralateral hernia developed. The occurrence of contralateral inguinal hernia was more frequent in boys (146 of 2,460, 5.9%) than girls (24 of 598, 4.0%) and more frequent after left herniotomy (80 of 1,190, 6.7%) than after right herniotomy (90 of 1,868, 4.8%), but statistically not significant. 52.9% of contralateral inguinal hernia developed within 1 year after hernia repair, and 87.6% developed within 3 years. Routine exploration on contralateral side in children is not necessary.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2003

Inguinal hernia is the most frequent problem requiring surgery in children. Moreover, subsequent contralateral occurrence after repair of the symptomatic unilateral inguinal hernia(UIH) is not rare, This study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of inguinal ultrasonography (IUS) for potential bilateral inguinal hernia (BIH). A prospective study was performed for preschool children less than 6 years of age who were diagnosed as UIH from July 1999 to December 2000. We selected 58 cases with potential BIH, based on the past history, such as prematurity, ventriculo peritoneal shunt, family history of BIH. hernia on the left side (LIH), age below 2, female, and contralateral positive silk glove sign on the physical examination, Screening with IUS and bilateral surgical exploration were applied on these cases. Forty-seven cases were males (81.0%) and 11 cases were females (19.0%). Thirty four were infants. Symptomatic right inguinal hernia (RIH) were 28 (48.3%), and LIH were 30 cases (51.7%). Six cases had no evidence of contralateral patent process vaginalis (PPV) by IUS but showed contralateral PPV by operation. Two cases were suspicious to contralateral PPV under IUS, but operative findings were negative. Fifty cases showed contralateral PPV by IUS as well as operation. The detection rate of contralateral PPV under IUS was 86.2%. The preoperative IUS may reduce contralateral exploration.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 2008

Prophylactic contralateral exploration in unilateral inguinal hernia repair is still controversial. The purpose of this study is to analyze the contralateral incidence of hernia and to verify the necessity of the simultaneous contralateral exploration. Infants and children operated on for inguinal hernia or hydrocele at the Department of Pediatric Surgery of Asan Medical Center from January 1996 to December 2005 were analyzed retrospectively. A total of 383 patients (9.8 %) out of 3,925 patients underwent a simultaneous bilateral operation. A total of 222 patients (6.2 %) out of 3,542 patients underwent a secondary metachronous contralateral operation after primary unilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele repair. Because simultaneous bilateral operation cases included true bilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele, and unilateral hernia and simultaneous contralateral exploration, bilateral incidence of inguinal hernia and hydrocele could be maximally considered as 15.4% (605 patients). Therefore, the prophylactic contralateral exploration in unilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele should be determined carefully in considering history and physical examination of the patients, and postoperative complications.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.23-27
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• 2014

Purpose: Laparoscopic hernia repair in children is still controversial. The aim of this study was to report our long-term results of the laparoscopic hernia technique, which is based on the same surgical principles as conventional open herniotomy. Methods: Five hundred fourteen pediatric patients with inguinal hernia were included in this study under informed consent. All patients underwent a laparoscopic technique of sac transection and intracorporeal ligation. The asymptomatic contralateral inguinal ring was routinely explored and repaired if a patient had patent processus vaginalis on the contralateral side. Patients were prospectively followed for 5 years. Those who were lost to follow-up were excluded from the study. Perioperative complications and recurrences were evaluated. Results: The mean follow-up period was 29 months. Mean operation time was 27.5 minutes. Forty one percent of the patients had contralateral patent processus vaginalis. Only one hernia recurred (0.19%). We had one case of contralateral metachronous hernia (0.21%) during follow-up period. Conclusion: The long-term follow-up results of our study revealed that laparoscopic hernia sac transection and ligation can be a safe and effective alternative for conventional herniorraphy.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 1995

The clinical experience of 2,340 inguinal hernia repaired by one pediatric surgeon on 2,079 children at Hanyang University Hospital from September 1979 to December 1993 was analyzed. Of 2,046 patients who had primary hernia repairs at Hanyang University Hospital, 1,636 were male and 410 female, and 55.5% of hernias occurred on the right side, 36.0% on the left, and 8.6% were bilateral. The patients presented hernia under the age of 12 months were 45.3% and those performed herniotomy under the age of 12 months were 25.5%. Birth weight was less than 2.5kg in 111 patients(8.7%) of 1,279 data available patients. Ninety(6.6%) of 1,354 data available patients were premature(<37wks gestation). The proportions of bilateral inguinal hernia and the onset age under 12 months of life in low birth weight babies and premature babies were higher than in full-term babies. Incarcerated inguinal hernia occurred in 327 patients(16.0%) of whom 8 patients were strangulated hernias. The occurrence of incarceration inversely related with age of patients. The subsequent contralateral inguinal hernia following unilateral hernia repairs occurred in 80 patients(4.3%) among which 72 were male and 8 were female. The incidence of contralateral inguinal hernia was more frequent in boys(4.8%) than girls (2.2%) and in cases after left herniotomy(6.4%) than after right herniotomy(2.9%). Sixty percent of contralateral inguinal hernia developed within 1 year after primary hernia repair. The recurrence of inguinal hernia occurred in 6 patients(0.27%) treated at our hospital primarily. There were one or more associated congenital anomalies in 83 patients of which congenital heart diseases were the most common. Sliding hernia occurred in 25 patients consisted of 5 boys and 20 girls. Family history was noted in 35 patients and there were 28 sets of monozygotic and 3 sets of dizygotic twins.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2009

Contralateral groin exploration (CGE) in children with unilateral inguinal hernia remains controversial. Between January 2002 and December 2007, 1967 pediatric patients with inguinal hernia were treated by two surgeons with different criteria of CGE (group A; boys younger than 2 years, older boys prematurely delivered, and all girls, B; birth weight lower than 2 kg with inguinal hernia presentation within 6 months after birth, and suspicious physical findings) at Samsung medical center. Patient's age, sex, body weight, diagnosis, and metachronous contralateral inguinal hernia (MIH) incidence were analyzed retrospectively. Among 895 patients in group A, CGE was performed in 460 patients (66.4 %) and MIH incidence was 1.7 %. In group B, 31 patients (3.5 %) had CGE among 1072 patients, and MIH incidence was 4.2 %. The average hospital costs of group A and B were 763,956 won and 500,708 won, respectively. The CGE criteria of group B had advantage in total hospital cost. The primary site and the age at presentation had a signiticant effect on the incidence of MIH. But MIH incidence was low and the more contralateral explorations lead to increase of total costs. Therefore, routine contralateral groin exploration and surgery for a patent processus vaginalis could not be justified.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 1995

For the prevention of later contralateral hernia as well as unnecessary contralateral exploration in pediatric patients with unilateral inguinal hernias, a reasonable indication of contralateral exploration is required. To examine the contralateral positivity, a prospective selective contralateral exploration has been performed by the author from Sept. 1985 to Dec. 1993, at Pediatric Surgical Section of the Department of Surgery, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. Among the total 1200 cases of pediatric inguinal hernias, 580 cases of contralateral side were explored at hernia operations, by the indications as; male with infant onset, 2)female of all age, 3)prematurity, 4)profuse ascites due to cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, and ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and 5)remarkable silk sign. Overall positive rate was 71.4%, and positive rates of each indication were 80.7%, 70.4%, 73.1%, 66.7%, and 72.0%, respectively. Right side hernia showed 67.0%, left s ide 75.7%, and positive familial history 71.8% of contralateral positivities. In male, getting older revealed lower positive rates and the rate suddenly dropped after 12 years of age. Birth order, mother's age at delivery, postmaturity did not show any significant differences between the rates. Recurrence was seen in 3(0.5%) ipsilateral and 2(0.3%) contralateral, both of which were negative esplorations on previons operations. Overall complication rate was 3.8%, including 1 infection, 14 fluid or blood accumulation, 5 edemas, 3 temporary testicular edemas, 2 persisting fevers, 2 enures is and one delayed recovery from anesthesia. Among 38 cases with contralateral hernias developed after unilateral surgery by authors(6 cases) or surgeons in other institutions, 14 were males with infant onset, 4 were prematurities and 9 were females. Therefore, 27(71.7%) cases were originally under the contralateral exploration indications. The primary site of the hermia was right in 25 and left in 13. With above results, the following indications for contralateral exploration could be suggested ; 1)under one year of age, both sex, 2)prematurity, 3) remarkable silk sign, 4)in the double checked suspicions among males with infant onset, all age females, ascites, left hernia and familial history. After 12 years of age, exploration is not required. Considering complications, contralateral explorations could be considered only in the following situations; 1)expert, experienced pediatric surgeon, 2)experienced pediatric anesthesiologist, 3)operations could be done smoothly in an hour, 4)good general condition of the patient.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2006

Inguinal hernia is one of the most common surgical diseases in pediatric patients. But the management of the side opposite the clinically apparent inguinal hernia, the "silent side" is controversial. Four hundred fifty-eight cases of pediatric inguinal hernias, operated by one pediatric surgeon at the Divisionof Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chonbuk National University Hospital from January 1998 to December 2002, were reviewed retrospectively to determine the characteristics and significances of the silk-glove test on the side opposite the clinically apparent inguinal hernia. Males were preponderant as 2.8:1. Allhernias were of the indirect type and were repaired by high ligation of the sac. There were 238 (52.0 %) right sided hernias, 160 (35.0 %) were on the left and 60 (13.0%) were bilateral. The number of patients with a positive silk-glove sign on the contralateral side was 158(39.7 %), and 133 of these had a contralateral patent processus vaginalis. Positive predictive value of Silk-glove test was 84.2 % (133/158). The silk-glove test is a simple, safe, and relatively accurate method for contralateral exploration in the unilateral inguinal hernias in children.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.194-202
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• 2007

It is known that pediatric inguinal hernia is caused by the incomplete closure of processus vaginalis (PV). In the case of unilateral hernia, possibile contralateral patent PV should be considered because of its delayed appearance as well as its risk of incarceration. Direct visualization of patent PV could be done by contralateral exploration or by indirect exploration through the ipsilateral opening site of the affected hernia assisted with laparoscope. A patient group (321 persons) to whom laparoscopy was not performed from March 2000 to March 2003 was analyzed and compared with a patient group (280 persons) to whom laparoscopy was performed from April 2003 to September 2005. With all 601 patients, the sex ratio (male/female) of patients was 3.8:1. The side distribution was 57.7% in the right, 32.1% in the left and 10.1% in bilateral. There was no difference of sex and side distribution between before and after laparosopy adoption. We did not find an age correlation in natural closure of the residual PV of the peritoneum. Contralateral hernia developed in 14 persons (2.5%) after the operation of unilateral inguinal hernia before laparoscope adoption. But no contralateral hernia developed after April 2003 with laparoscopy. We think that if we use laparoscopy, being a safe and accurate method, to check whether the contralateral residual PV is opened or closed, possible future contralateral operation can be avoided.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2011

Minimally invasive techniques for pediatric inguinal hernia repair have been evolving in recent years. We applied the laparoscopic method to repair pediatric inguinal hernia using the techniques of sac transection and intra-corporeal ligation. Between November 2008 and August 2010, 67 pediatric patients (47 boys and 20 girls) with inguinal hernias were included in this study. Postoperative activities, pain, and complication were checked prospectively at regular follow-up. One patient presented with clinically bilateral hernia, and three patients had metachronous hernias. Thirty-two cases out of 63 patients with unilateral hernias had a patent processus vaginalis on the contralateral side. Mean operation time was $35{\pm}11.4$ minutes for unilateral hernias and $43{\pm}11$ minutes for bilateral hernias. There were no intra-operative complications. One patient had a small hematoma on the groin postoperatively, which subsided spontaneously in a week. Recurrence and metachronous hernia were not found at follow up. In summary, laparoscopic inguinal repair in children is safe, easy to perform and has an additional advantage of contralateral exploration. Further studies should include long term follow-up.