The risk of developing a symptomatic inguinal hernia in children with an asymptomatic patent processus vaginalis

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• 作者：Katrina L. Weaver ; Ashwini S. Poola ; Joanna L. Gould ; Susan W. Sharp ; Shawn D. St. Peter ; George W. Holcomb III ; ^{gholcomb@cmh.edu}
• 关键词：Asymptomatic patent processus vaginalis ; Inguinal hernia ; Children ; Laparoscopy
• 刊名：Journal of Pediatric Surgery
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：52
• 期：1
• 页码：60-64
• 全文大小：780 K
• 卷排序：52

文摘

Children with a symptomatic indirect inguinal hernia have a patent processus vaginalis (PPV). However, the reverse is unknown, as the natural history of PPV is unclear. Currently, there are little data regarding the incidence and time frame for developing a symptomatic hernia with a known asymptomatic PPV.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted in children who were evaluated for a PPV during nonhernia laparoscopic surgery by a single pediatric surgeon (GWH) from 2000 to 2014. Those patients with intraoperative findings of PPV were followed up by chart review and phone inquiry.Results1548 children underwent a laparoscopic operation, with 308 having an asymptomatic PPV. Phone contact was successful in 125 (43%) of these patients at a median of 8.1 years (range 4.8–12.7) after the initial laparoscopic operation. Nineteen (13%) patients returned with a symptomatic hernia at a median age of 17 months (range: 5–74) and a median presentation of 9 months (range: 1–66) after the initial laparoscopy. Ten hernia repairs were unilateral and 9 bilateral. None of those who were contacted via phone inquiry reported hernia symptoms or hernia repair.ConclusionsThese data suggest that the risk of developing a symptomatic hernia during childhood in the presence of a known PPV is relatively low.Level of evidenceLevel 3; type of study: retrospective study.