Groin hernia correction in a child
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In children it is generally sufficient to treat a groin hernia only by removing the hernial sac (the protruded part of the abdominal membrane). By means of a small incision above the groin, in this case the right groin, the skin is opened (1) and under the muscle layer the hernia sac is localised and freed (2). The hernia sac is opened to look for any contents like fatty tissue or gut. The contents will be put back in the abdominal cavity (3) and hereafter the hernia sac is twisted and secured by a ligature. Then the hernia sac is resected (4). The skin is closed with subcutaneously placed sutures that need not to be removed.
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In example 7-8 there is a hernia in a little boy. By means of the small incision (7) under the muscle layer the hernia (8) is localised. The hernia sac is freed of the semen duct and the blood vessels and is then removed in the same manner as described above.
The convalescence at children is generally fast and gives few problems. The skin is sutured frequently subcutaneously so that the sutures do not need to be removed. Showering is permitted . The little plasters can be removed after a week. The wound frequently forms a little ridge, but this resolves in the course of weeks.