Abstract

Objectives: Inguinal hernia is the most common surgical disorder in childhood and is associated with 5-18 % incarceration risk. The clinical features of incarcerated inguinal hernia in infants and children were assessed.

Patients and Methods: The medical records of 33 pediatric cases (30 males, 3 females; mean age 2 years; range 20 days-6 years) treated and followed up in our hospital for incarcerated inguinal hernia in the period of January 1994 and June 2006 were retrospectivelye evaluated.

Results: The most frequent symptoms were inguinal lump (n=33), vomiting (n=19) and crepitation of the scrotum (n=10). Manual reduction of hernia was successful in 26 cases and 7 of them underwent emergency hernia repair. Small bowel was the most frequent incarcerated organ (n=22). Testicular ischemia developed in 3 patients, partial small bowel ischemia in 2, and colon ischemia in one patient. Two patients (6%) died due to incarcerated inguinal hernia.

Conclusion: We think that in our region, cases of incarcerated inguinal hernia are admitted to the hospital with delay. The children with inguinal hernia should be operated as soon as possible. Life-threatening complications of incarcerated inguinal hernia may thus be prevented.