A tissue, organ or organs; It is the protrusion of the surrounding wall out of its cavity through a weak point that does not normally exist.
Inguinal hernia occurs in children, unlike adults, when the inner mouth of the inguinal canal does not close after birth. While it may occur in 1-3% of term babies, this frequency can be up to 10 times in preterm babies. It is more common in boys than in girls. If there is another member of the family, it is more likely to be seen in other members or if it is in one of the twin children, it is more likely to be seen in other people.
It becomes visible when the child cries, strains, or walks around for a long time. While it is more common on the right side; It can be left sided or bilateral. After surgery on one side, the hernia on the other side that was not visible until then may become visible.
The small intestines in boys and the ovaries in girls usually enter the hernia sac.
It usually manifests itself as a painless swelling. The hernia, which is easily visible when the child cries and strains, may disappear when the child sleeps and relaxes. While seeing the hernia is sufficient for diagnosis, some diagnostic methods can be used in suspicious or similar cases.
The only treatment method for inguinal hernias is surgery. The surgery is not urgent, but should be done as soon as possible. If surgery is not performed, there is a risk of hernia strangulation (incarceration) and gangrene (strangulation). In these cases, the patient must be operated on urgently and if gangrene occurs, the herniated organ may be lost. In addition, since the testicular (egg) vessels passing through the canal will be under pressure, gangrene may occur in the testicle in the following hours.
During the surgery, the hernia sac is tied at the level of the inner mouth of the inguinal canal. If the surgery is performed by a doctor who does not have surgery experience in children, other than a pediatric surgeon, the risk of recurrence of the hernia is very high.
Patients can be discharged in a short time, such as 2-3 hours, after the surgery. After the surgery, except for some special cases, long-term hospitalization is not required.
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