Inguinal hernia in an 8-year-old boy. What does an inguinal hernia look like in a child?

It can be on one side, but there are also bilateral inguinal hernias. Sometimes (rarely) such hernias heal spontaneously.

Prevalence: this pathology occurs in 2% of the total number of children. More often, inguinal hernia occurs in boys, especially in the first year of life.

Causes of inguinal hernias in children

Firstly, the formation of inguinal hernias is due to the anatomical feature of the structure of the anterior abdominal wall. In the groin area it passes through the inguinal canal, which is formed by the external and internal oblique and transverse abdominal muscles, as well as their aponeuroses. This canal is the weakest point of the anterior abdominal wall and any increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity (strong screaming, crying, lifting weights) can provoke protrusion of the abdominal contents through this formation. In addition, children's inguinal canal and muscles are weaker than those of adults.

Secondly, in children the vaginal process of the peritoneum is often not closed, through which protrusion occurs.

An inguinal hernia in both children and adults has the following elements:

Classification of inguinal hernias

Inguinal hernias are:

straight/oblique;
reducible/irreducible;
infringed/not infringed.

A direct hernia is acquired. It is located in the so-called Kisselbach triangle, slightly above and outward from the pubis. This location corresponds to the exit of the inguinal canal (external inguinal opening). It occurs due to weakness of the fascia of the transverse abdominal muscle with a sharp increase in intra-abdominal pressure due to cough, constipation, obesity, and strength training. More common in older people. Can be double-sided. Typically, an inguinal hernia contains loops of the small or large intestine or part of the omentum (the fatty layer that covers the front of the intestine). In girls, an ovary with a fallopian tube can be found in the hernia.

An oblique hernia or inguinal-scrotal hernia in children is most often congenital, but can also be acquired. It is located below the straight line, in some cases it can reach the testicle. This is related to the following. In the ontogenesis of the human body, the testicle is first located in the abdominal cavity, then it gradually protrudes into the inguinal canal along with the process of the peritoneum. Passing the inguinal canal, it descends into the scrotum. In this case, a process of the peritoneum remains, which stretches from the abdominal cavity to the scrotum. Over time, this vaginal process of the peritoneum should grow together, but in some cases this does not happen. In this case, the risk of developing diseases such as an indirect inguinal hernia and hydrocele increases (the fluid lubricating the abdominal cavity through the open vaginal process of the peritoneum flows down into the scrotum, causing its enlargement).

Reducible inguinal hernias can be reduced back. This can be done either manually or by having the patient retract the abdomen.

Irreversible hernias cannot be corrected by any means (due to the development of adhesions in it or for other reasons).

Non-strangulated inguinal hernias are hernias that do not cause acute danger and do not require emergency surgery.

Strangulated inguinal hernias, on the contrary, are a dangerous complication in which ischemia (impaired blood supply) occurs to the organs contained in the hernial sac. If emergency surgical care is not provided, intestinal gangrene, peritonitis and death of the patient may develop.

Symptoms of inguinal hernia in children and its diagnosis

Externally, an inguinal hernia appears as a protrusion in the Kisselbach triangle above and outward from the pubis (direct hernia) or above the scrotum (oblique hernia). When the child cries, screams, or moves, this protrusion may become larger. It can be reduced by pressing on it with your hands (if the hernia is reducible). Often an inguinal hernia in children is accompanied by an enlargement of the scrotum (hydroxy testis or inguinal-scrotal hernia).

If an inguinal hernia is strangulated, there will be sharp pain in the groin area, nausea, vomiting, and tension in the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, especially near the protrusion of the hernia. If the hernia was reducible, then it suddenly becomes irreducible, painful on palpation. The pain may subside a few hours after its onset, but the child becomes exhausted, lethargic, pale, and complains of feeling unwell and unwell.

If an inguinal hernia is suspected, parents should contact a pediatric surgeon. If you have an enlarged scrotum, you should consult a urologist. But, as a rule, they work nearby and they have one receiver.

Diagnosis is carried out using ultrasound, which allows you to visualize the contents of the inguinal canal and hernial protrusion

Treatment of inguinal hernias in children

Conservative treatment is carried out only for non-strangulated reducible hernias in children under 4 years of age. In this case, treatment is carried out to strengthen the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall through physical therapy, abdominal massage, and various games with children.

If an inguinal hernia is strangulated, then emergency hospitalization in the children's surgical department and surgery are indicated. In this case, other conservative treatment is contraindicated. You cannot give your child antispasmodics, painkillers, or apply a warm compress over the hernial area.

The operation is not permissible if the child has severe cardiovascular and respiratory failure, active tuberculosis, or a malignant neoplasm. In this case, the hernia is treated conservatively without surgery.

Surgery for inguinal hernia in children

At the moment, there are two main operations to remove inguinal hernia in children. One of them involves tightening the hernial orifice with the body’s own tissues, and the other involves installing a special polypropylene mesh, which strengthens the weak area of the anterior abdominal wall. Each of these operations has its own pros and cons, and different clinics prefer one or another operation.

The disadvantage of polypropylene mesh is that it is a foreign body in the body and it is often possible for it to develop suppuration with subsequent loss. In this case, it is necessary to perform a repeat operation.

The disadvantage of surgery without mesh is a higher relapse rate. Although this frequency will depend on the qualifications of the operating surgeon, that is, on the quality of the operation performed.

Anesthesia

These operations require anesthesia. Sedatives, narcotic analgesics and hypnotics (intravenous or inhalation) are used as anesthetic agents. To reduce the doses of these drugs, the surgical site is generously injected with local anesthetics, such as novocaine and its analogues.

Progress of the operation

First, the superficial tissues above the hernia are cut and opened. The viability of strangulated organs in the hernial sac is assessed. For a more adequate assessment, they are covered for 5-10 minutes with napkins moistened with warm saline solution. If they turn pink and “come to life” on gases, then they relax the hernial orifice and set it back. Otherwise, if there is necrosis of the organs in the hernial sac, they are removed and the intestines are sewn together (anastomosis). After this, the hernial orifice is either tightened with the help of surrounding tissues and threads, or a polypropylene mesh is installed, suturing it to the anterior abdominal wall. Then the skin is sutured and a bandage is applied.

After operation

The operation itself is difficult for the child, but the child is usually discharged on the same day after the operation. But at the same time, he must stay at home for two weeks so that there is no relapse and the stitches do not come apart, which are removed after a week.

Video: Hernia in a child

Health is very vulnerable in childhood; neglect brings many problems to the child in the future. While an older child can clearly articulate what is bothering him, it is not easy to understand the reason for a baby’s crying. In the case of an inguinal hernia, parents should familiarize themselves with the symptoms in advance and monitor them.

A bulge in the groin and scrotum area is called an inguinal hernia, which most often appears on one side, but can be bilateral. The contents of the sac become intestinal loops, which, up to a certain time, are reduced with pressure. The disease is common among, however, unlike other species, it is not easy to detect before it grows. In adulthood, physical activity becomes a provoking factor; in children, congenital pathology is observed.
.html" class="link"]

Causes and manifestations

More often inguinal hernia in boys, causes which is congenital, occurs as a result of the unclosed canal of the vaginal process, through which the testicles descend into the scrotum. In older children, opening can be triggered by:

injury;
physical stress;
excess weight.

The child must be treated for a severe cough, which causes strain on the abdominal walls. Older boys need to lead an active lifestyle in accordance with their age and monitor their diet.

Inguinal hernia in children, signs which is difficult to determine due to the absence of pain, does not bother boys at the initial stage. Accordingly, it is difficult to judge the presence of a disease without clinical manifestations. The course of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

The formation of a swelling in the groin area, which can change in size when changing body position.
The pain is aching in nature, which, depending on the severity of the disease, can be short-term or long-lasting.
A burning sensation in the groin area that gets worse after physical activity. Babies begin to cry after movements.

Understand, what does an inguinal hernia look like in boys you can if you look at its structure.

Inguinal hernia in children, symptoms which are not externally expressed, it is possible to see when the child begins to cry, cough or scream, due to tension, a lump in the groin area becomes visible. Other manifestations of the disease include:

bloating;
diarrhea;
indigestion;
stretching of the scrotum from the side of the formation;
pain.

Inguinal hernia in a child, symptoms which is characterized by protrusion into the abdominal region, occurs more often than other types of hernias in infancy.

Inguinal hernia in boys, symptoms which indicates infringement, requires an immediate call for an ambulance.

Consequences

The main danger of the disease lies in the fact that the hernial orifice pinches the organs contained in the sac, resulting in acute pain and the inability to straighten the protrusion on your own.

Disadvantaged inguinal hernia in boys, consequences which, in the absence of timely treatment, can be fatal, manifests itself as follows:

there is severe pain in the abdominal area;
redness of the abdominal area appears;
the stomach is swollen;
stool retention occurs;
the child does not pass gas;
nausea or vomiting appears, the latter is considered a dangerous symptom.

If a hernia occurs in a baby, he begins to cry nervously and clench his legs in pain. In a pinched intestinal loop, the outflow of blood is disrupted, inflammatory processes and tissue necrosis begin. The risk of complications after the condition is high. Even after repositioning the contents of the sac, adhesions often appear, resulting in intestinal perforation and peritonitis.

Treatment

When was it formed inguinal hernia in a boy, what to do in such a situation, only an experienced doctor, who most often prescribes surgery, can determine it. Surgical treatment begins with the preparation of the child, during which he must:

take blood and urine tests;
undergo an ultrasound;
be examined by a cardiologist, ENT specialist, or neurologist.

The operation is not considered complex and lasts 30 minutes. Before the procedure, the child is limited in food and water intake. The psychological attitude for boys is considered equally important. Parents should give him a lot of attention and care, explain that they will not leave him alone in the hospital, that he will not be hurt, you can play with the effect of the procedure on toys, so it will be easier for the baby to cope with anxiety.

The operation, in the absence of contraindications, can be performed from 6 months. The mother is allowed to stay with the child in the ward until the age of 3, but most hospitals do not provide separate beds for them; in such cases, you can bring a cot with you. Older children are allowed to visit their parents from 8 am to 8 pm. Some hospitals provide paid mother and child wards.

Laparoscopy and rehabilitation

Laparoscopic hernioplasty is a common surgical treatment of inguinal hernia in children. The used laparoscope, thanks to a video camera with backlight, helps to see the site of damage from the inside, which makes it possible to perform surgery with incisions not exceeding 2 cm. Such injuries heal soon and do not leave scars, for this reason the technique is called cosmetic.

I insert 3 tubes (trocars) into the abdominal area and use them to make incisions. One of them is placed in the umbilical region, and a laparoscope is passed through it. The rest are used to insert tools: a tissue clamp and a mesh fastener. The synthetic implant is fixed to the hernial orifice and sutured.

Relapse

In some children, the recurrence of the disease is possible, the reasons for this are considered to be:

errors during the operation, the risk of which can be reduced by choosing an experienced doctor and a hospital with good recommendations;
regular constipation, which primarily requires adjustment of nutrition and increased fluid intake;
physical activity during the rehabilitation period. During the rehabilitation period, it is forbidden to do sharp bends, pump up the press, do deep squats, push-ups and lift weights. To avoid this, children need to get an exemption from physical education or exercise in kindergarten from a doctor;
the formation of pus in the suture area, the appearance of which is possible in children with low immunity, in which the body has difficulty coping with microorganisms from the air or anaerobic infection.

Inguinal hernia in children, boys, treatment which was performed by laparoscopy, has a reduced percentage of re-formation.

Rehabilitation

After the procedure, babies are rarely left in the hospital. In the absence of complications, pain goes away after 3 days. For older children, physical activity is contraindicated for a period of at least 6 months. The doctor recommends reducing food portions during the rehabilitation period. The diet must contain products from the recommended list.

Treatment without surgery

Inguinal hernia in boys, treatment without surgery is provided in cases where the baby is premature; other contraindications to surgery include:

acute renal failure;
heart and lung diseases;
purulent peritonitis;
sepsis;
infectious diseases;
adhesions in the abdominal area;
bleeding disorders;
intestinal obstruction;
recent operations;
obesity and others.

Surgery is the only way to treat a hernia; conservative methods prevent complications and help eliminate symptoms. Patient cases are considered individually and indications for surgery are determined by the doctor.

Physical exercise

Inguinal hernia in children, as treatment without surgery involves wearing a bandage while performing recommended physical exercises, massage and alternative medicine. Rhythmic movements and others requiring strong tension in the groin area are contraindicated. Children aged 3 years can perform the following exercises under parental supervision:

In a horizontal position, bend your knees and clasp your hands behind your head. Afterwards, the knee of one leg is connected to the elbow of the opposite arm and returned to its original position. Then, the other side repeats the actions, the number of approaches for the child is determined according to physical training, the more times he does it, the better. The exercise is repeated 2 times a day.
For the next exercise, you need to lie on your back and stretch your arms along your body, then place a weighting agent weighing 500 grams on your abdominal area. for children, weight is added over time. After which, the child should inhale, raise the stomach to the limit, and exhale, retract it.
The action consists of raising the pelvis in a horizontal position. At the same time, the legs are bent, and the arms are placed freely.
The exercise is performed with an elastic bandage, from which a loop with a diameter of 30 cm is made, which is made by pre-suturing the edges, and is put on raised legs in a lying position. Next, the child stretches the material with his limbs.

For babies, parents massage the groin area to improve muscle tone, which is alternated with pinching, pressing and stroking.

Physical education helps strengthen the abdominal walls and prevents congestion, but should be done after consultation with a doctor. The absence of surgery obliges a person to regularly perform therapeutic exercises throughout the rest of his life!

Recipes

Natural ingredients are used for rubbing, compresses on the sore area and for internal use. The dosage and suitable remedy are agreed with the pediatrician. The exact success rate of the procedures has not been clinically confirmed.

Salted cabbage brine

Treatment involves applying brine compresses to the tumor site, and additionally using sour vegetable leaves.

Oak compresses and hernia poultices

An infusion for a compress is prepared from crushed leaves, acorns and tree bark, which are poured with wine and stored in a dark place for 3 weeks. Before the procedure, the groin area is wiped with cold, vinegar water, in a ratio of 1 glass to 2 tbsp. spoons of 4% solution. The warm compress is left for half an hour; it is recommended to alternate with hernia herb poultices.

Herbs for oral administration

Herbal infusions are taken 2 hours before meals; the method of preparation is to brew with boiling water. A glass of medicine is drunk a day, divided into 3-4 doses. The following plants are considered useful for hernia:

spiraea;
gooseberry casting;
cornflower flowers;
Drupe leaves;
immortelle;
horsetail and others.

For small children, the dosage is reduced; for pharmaceutical herbs it is indicated on the packaging; if you collect plants yourself, the number of uses is checked with your pediatrician. Treatment of diseases cannot be postponed until later, waiting for the symptoms to recur; for this reason, the mortality rate of children increases!

In children, an inguinal hernia is an unnatural protrusion of the vaginal process of the peritoneum (hernial sac) with its contents. It looks like a round seal protruding above the general surface of the skin. It increases in a child when walking, and decreases at rest. The disease is diagnosed by pediatric surgeons using palpation, stress tests, and ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity, scrotum, and inguinal canals. So, let's learn about childhood inguinal hernia in more detail.

Inguinal hernia in children: causes

A number of factors contribute to the formation of a hernia in a child’s groin:

Abdominal wall injury.
Physical overexertion.
Excess body weight.
Underdevelopment of the abdominal wall, which is inherited.

Statistics show that inguinal hernia occurs more often in boys than in girls, and this is due to the patterns of intrauterine development. At a certain stage of intrauterine development in boys, the testicles are located near the kidneys. And when they descend into the place allocated to them by nature, that is, into the scrotum, the testicles take with them a piece of the peritoneum. This is how a “pocket” of connective tissue is formed in the scrotum. When a child is born, the “pocket” becomes overgrown, turning into a heavy tissue. But it doesn’t always overgrow. In this case, the unfilled “pocket” becomes the site of prolapse of the peritoneal organs.

Since girls do not have a peritoneal processus vaginalis, an inguinal hernia rarely bothers them.

This disease can be congenital or acquired. It is more common in adults. Both congenital and acquired forms of the disease require special treatment. In most cases, surgery is necessary to completely get rid of it.

Symptoms of inguinal hernia in children

A congenital inguinal hernia is formed at the stage of intrauterine development. Pathology most often has a one-sided concentration. And mainly this is the right side of the groin.

But the option of a left-sided inguinal hernia cannot be ruled out. Its symptoms occur in 25% of cases. Medical statistics show that pathology occurs in young patients in the first year of life, more often in the first three months.

As for the symptoms of this disease, in addition to the main one - specific protrusion - it is also painful. In boys, the protrusion in the groin has a round shape, and in the case of an inguinal-scrotal hernia, its shape is oval. In the second option, the protrusion of the peritoneal process towards the scrotum descends. This, in turn, causes tissue stretching. There is an increase in signs of infringement.

A hernia in a child’s groin is manifested by restless behavior and constant crying. The protrusion becomes hard. But when the child is lying down, it can significantly decrease in size (visually).

Sometimes, when pressed, reduction is possible, which is accompanied by a specific rumbling sound.

When the child coughs or sneezes, the protrusion becomes larger. And if you put your hand on it at this time, you can feel its tension. Most often, inguinal hernias are not accompanied by other symptoms. Only in rare cases may a child be bothered by bloating or indigestion.

According to statistics, this disease occurs much less frequently in girls than in boys. And the reason for this is that before a girl is born, her uterus is located much higher than after birth. During intrauterine development in girls, the uterus gradually descends. This, in turn, displaces the peritoneum along with it. As a result, a fold is formed by the peritoneum, which forms a kind of pocket if it protrudes forward and penetrates the groin area. This is how an inguinal hernia forms in girls.

But in female representatives, pathology also occurs for other reasons. This is excessive physical activity, severe abdominal strain.

Inguinal hernia strangulation in children

The situation is very serious if the hernial protrusion is pinched. This condition requires prompt medical attention.

In medicine, it is customary to classify inguinal hernia strangulation:

Fecal impaction.
Elastic.
Retrograde infringement.
Richter's pinch.

All four types in a child are accompanied by severe pain and tissue cyanosis. The hernial contents become very tense, they become hard and cannot be reduced. The child does not just experience severe discomfort. It screams, which unconsciously further aggravates the painful state of infringement.

Why is an inguinal hernia dangerous in children?

The danger lies precisely in the possibility of infringement. And pediatric statistics state that this condition is observed in 20% of all cases in children. Incarceration means that the intestine is stuck in the inguinal canal and the blood vessels in the groin have become bent and blocked. The result of this circulatory pathology is manifested by severe pain, sometimes vomiting and nausea of the baby, his anxiety and nervousness, crying and screaming. Pediatricians and surgeons in such cases recommend emergency surgery.

You should know that congenital hernias in children can be cured mainly through surgery. Such operations are planned, because conservative treatment brings an inconsistent effect. This means that the child is always at risk of strangulated hernia. As a rule, operations are prescribed at the age of 6 months. They are performed under general short-term anesthesia.

The entire operation lasts 15 minutes. Since the child’s inguinal ring is not fully formed, surgeons usually cut off the hernial sac. To facilitate the operation, the inguinal ring is not strengthened.

Treatment of inguinal hernia in children without surgery

All parents are interested in whether it is possible to do without surgical intervention when making such a diagnosis for a child. After all, at this age, every mother is afraid to operate on a child, no matter how simple the operation.

You should know that conservative treatment for an inguinal hernia is wearing a bandage. It can be one-sided or two-sided. Its purpose is to prevent prolapse of the hernial sac and keep it in the abdominal cavity. The bandage is put on the baby in a supine position. At first it causes discomfort, but over time the child gets used to it. It is recommended to wear the bandage only during periods of wakefulness of the small patient. But if he is not completely healthy and is bothered by a cough, then the bandage is left on overnight. Once a day, it should be removed to wipe the baby’s skin and allow it to breathe.

If the bandage is worn for a long time, the muscles become “lazy” and atrophy occurs. This is why wearing a bandage is not an alternative to surgery to remove a hernia.

If we are talking about an inguinal hernia in premature and weakened children, then they try to correct it using conservative methods. This includes giving the baby solutions of promedol and atropine, a warm heating pad on the stomach, putting the baby to bed with his legs elevated, and prescribing warm baths. If there is no positive effect from this, then surgery is prescribed.

Treatment of inguinal hernia in children with folk remedies

We immediately emphasize that you can try to treat a child at home only if there is no infringement. The famous healer Vanga recommended doing this using compresses with wormwood infusion. Other herbalists recommend trying applying a leaf of sauerkraut or a compress of sauerkraut brine to the protrusion several times a day.

You can try rinsing the hernia area daily with a very weak solution of acetic acid. After this, you need to apply a compress from a decoction of oak leaves.

The treatment effect is sometimes achieved with hernia compresses. This herb has long been used in Rus' to treat all types of hernia formations. The herb is scalded with boiling water and applied warm to the problem area. Do this several times a day.

In addition to applying compresses, traditional healers also recommend drinking infusions of cornflower and gooseberry leaves, larch bark and meadowsweet herb. But this applies more to treatment in adults.

Inguinal hernia in children: Komarovsky

A well-known pediatrician believes that parents should not hope for the resorption of the hernia formation. The likelihood of this happening is very low. He considers surgery for an inguinal hernia in a child inevitable. But the urgency of surgical intervention is determined by the size of the protrusion and the child’s state of health. Evgeniy Komarovsky is confident that conservative treatment methods will only temporarily alleviate the baby’s condition before surgery.

Especially for - Diana Rudenko

Many young parents are faced with the problem of inguinal hernia in children. Despite the fact that this diagnosis is very common, most people do not understand the essence of this disease.

The search for information about the causes, consequences and the need for surgery usually begins when the problem is already making itself felt. The most dangerous thing is the delay of parents in diagnosing and treating this disease, because complications of an inguinal hernia can seriously affect the baby’s health.

What is an inguinal hernia

An inguinal hernia occurs when part of the abdominal organs (omentum, intestines, and, in girls, the genitals) sag into the groin area.

The formation itself consists of three parts: the hernial sac (protrusion shell), the internal contents of the hernia and the hernial orifice through which the organs protrude.

The size of the hernia can vary and depends on how much internal organs have moved outside the abdominal cavity. In some children this is a small swelling in the groin area, in others it is a very large, voluminous protrusion, which is simply impossible not to pay attention to.

With increased effort, when the child coughs, sneezes, cries or lifts heavy objects, the hernia becomes more noticeable and bulging. At rest, it can even come into place spontaneously or with manual reduction (reducible hernia).

In more advanced cases, the contents of the hernial sac do not return to place (irreducible hernia). The most dangerous situation occurs if the hernia is strangulated.

In this case, blood circulation in the compressed area of the organ is severely disrupted until it stops completely, and if medical assistance is not provided in time, these tissues die completely. If a girl’s ovary or fallopian tube is strangulated, sexual function is severely impaired, which can lead to.

An inguinal hernia can appear on one side, but it can also be bilateral.

Causes of inguinal hernia in children

Often, an inguinal hernia in children is congenital, and boys are more susceptible to this disease. The reason is that in some babies, during intrauterine development, the canal between the abdominal cavity and the groin region, through which the testicles should normally descend, does not close.

The situation is different for girls. The cause of an inguinal hernia in them is an abnormality of the ligaments that hold the genitals. But this disorder is more rare, so this disease is less common among girls.

The absence of an inguinal hernia at the birth of a child does not guarantee that the baby will not encounter such a problem in the future. This disorder can be acquired. its reasons may be the following:

Interesting! A child has elevated monocytes: what does this mean and how dangerous?

1 The baby has severe coughing, sneezing, vomiting, constipation, or frequent crying, which increases pressure in the abdomen. If the abdominal wall is not strong enough, the hernial orifice may open.

2 Violation of the normal position of organs can be caused by various injuries in the pubic area, which affect the integrity and tone of the anterior abdominal wall.

3 During some operations, incisions are made in the groin area that can cause an inguinal hernia. The reason for this complication may be the surgeon’s low professionalism.

4 If the canal between the abdominal cavity and the groin area does not heal in time, but the inguinal hernia did not appear before the birth of the child (congenital hernia), it may occur after birth (acquired hernia).

Inguinal hernias occur much more often in premature babies, as well as overweight babies.

Inguinal hernia in a child: symptoms

Determining the presence of an inguinal hernia in children can be quite difficult, especially if there is no clearly visible protrusion, or the child is too small to show the place that bothers him. The main symptoms of a hernia are:

1 The presence of swelling in the groin area, which increases when the child tenses. When you try to reduce it, it disappears if the hernia is reducible.

2 Anxiety, crying of a small child. Possible refusal of food or digestive disorders, vomiting. The baby becomes lethargic and there are signs of general malaise.

3 When an inguinal hernia is strangulated, the child’s well-being sharply worsens, pain and anxiety intensify. The contents of the hernial sac are not able to return to their place during manual reduction.

You should consult a doctor if you suspect an inguinal hernia in a child.

If the hernia is strangulated, the baby must be immediately sent to the hospital, where an urgent operation to remove the hernia will be performed.

Inguinal hernia in a child: treatment without surgery

Most parents faced with the problem of inguinal hernia in children strive to solve this problem without surgery. But, this treatment option is possible only in small children, up to four years old, and only in the absence of infringement.

When treating an inguinal hernia, various methods of strengthening the abdominal wall are used. For this purpose, physical exercises, outdoor games, and therapeutic massage techniques are being developed. You should not rely on traditional medicine methods. Like other medications, they have their side effects. A person without medical education cannot predict the consequences of using one or another folk remedy.

By engaging in such self-medication, parents not only delay the provision of effective assistance, but also risk harming their child.

Removal of inguinal hernia in children

Surgical removal of an inguinal hernia remains the most common and effective solution to the problem. The essence of the operation is to reduce the organs into the abdominal cavity and tighten the hernial orifice.

Interesting! Rubella in children: symptoms, treatment, photos

The complexity and duration of the operation depends on whether the parents sought help in a timely manner. If the hernia has not yet been strangulated, the doctor examines the child, performs all the necessary tests and performs a planned operation.

When the hernia is strangulated and every minute counts, urgent surgery is required.

Otherwise, necrotic irreversible changes begin in the compressed tissues, and peritonitis develops in the abdominal cavity. If the tissue (for example, a strangulated intestinal wall) is already dead, this area is removed, and the living parts of the organ are stitched together.

In order to reduce the negative impact of anesthesia on the child’s body, local anesthesia is usually used together with general anesthesia. To do this, the surgical site is injected with painkillers.

When performing surgery on boys, doctors must take special care not to damage the reproductive system, in particular the vas deferens. Removal of a congenital inguinal hernia is recommended to be done between the 6th and 12th months of the baby’s life. This period is most favorable for such intervention, and it is easier for the child to tolerate it.

Surgical removal of an inguinal hernia is contraindicated in children who have severe pathologies of vital organs, such as the heart and kidneys. The operation is also dangerous if the child has a progressive infectious disease in the body.

Laparoscopy of inguinal hernia in children

Recently, an alternative to conventional surgery to remove an inguinal hernia has emerged.

The laparoscopy method differs from conventional surgical intervention in that it leaves virtually no noticeable scars, tissue damage is minimal, and recovery after surgery is much easier and faster.

If parents have the opportunity to choose this method of removing an inguinal hernia in a child, then preference should be given to it.

Complications after surgery

If the operation is performed by qualified specialists and using high-quality equipment, the likelihood of complications is minimal. But there are still cases when, during the postoperative period, a child develops a hematoma in the surgical area.