Background: This report examines recurrent pediatric groin hernias and the
role of diagnostic laparoscopy in the management of these recurrences.
Methods: A chart review of 19 children presenting with recurrent hernias wa
s performed, analyzing the type of primary hernia, nature of recurrence, pr
eexisting medical conditions, surgical complications at primary repair, and
time to recurrence. Diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) was used during the remedi
al repair of the last nine patients.
Results: Seventeen indirect hernias were repaired during the primary repair
, and 1 femoral hernia was identified. In one child, no inguinal hernia was
identified at the initial operation. Overall, 11 recurrences were found to
consist of indirect sacs, and 4 were found to have attenuation of the ingu
inal floor. Four additional recurrences were found to be femoral hernias. I
n only 1 patient was a wound factor (infection) thought to play a role in t
he recurrence. Diagnostic laparoscopy in 9 patients found 4 (44%) to have u
nsuspected intraoperative findings. Four femoral hernias were identified (3
with unsuspected contralateral femoral hernias). Additionally, 1 unsuspect
ed recurrence of an indirect sac was identified.
Conclusions: Laparoscopy accurately identifies the nature of the defect in
children with recurrent groin hernias, detecting unsuspected contralateral
indirect, direct, or femoral hernias in 44% of those undergoing laparoscopy
.