title: The incidence of contralateral patent processus vaginalis in unilateral inguinal hernia in Nigerian children.
abstract: A prospective study was carried out to determine the incidence of contralateral patent processus vaginalis in unilateral inguinal hernia in Nigerian children. Over a 5-year period (1977-1981), all children under 8 years of age with unilateral inguinal hernia underwent planned bilateral groin exploration. The highest frequency was recorded in the under 1 year age group (39%); there was a steady decline with age: at 2 years 22% and beyond 2 years of age it levelled out to 17%. Beyond the age of 5 years, contralateral groin exploration was negative. The frequency in Nigerian children is lower than in their Caucasian counterparts; this may be due to genetic and/or environmental factors.
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007264:Inguinal Canal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012306:Risk