UNILATERAL INGUINAL-HERNIA IN GIRLS - IS ROUTINE CONTRALATERAL EXPLORATION JUSTIFIED

To determine the incidence of contralateral hernia development after u nilateral inguinal hernia repair in girls, collected case series from two large hospitals were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 294 girls who had undergone repair of a unilateral inguinal hernia (during a 15 -year period), 245 could be traced; the mean follow-up period was 8.4 years. In 25 (10.2%) of the patients, contralateral hernia developed, mostly within one year (4 months to 6.5 years). The incidence of contr alateral hernia development with respect to the original side of the i nguinal hernia was significantly higher (19%) for the originally left- sided hernias than for the right-sided ones (6%) (P < .01). Although t he incidence of contralateral hernia development for girls with a left inguinal hernia decreased as age increased, it was still 14.9% for th e girls age 3 and up. Contralateral exploration should not be routine for girls who have a right-sided hernia, at any age. For left-sided he rnias, it may be performed routinely for girls up to 2 years of age, a nd selectively for older patients. (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company