Reappraisal of femoral hernia in children.
BACKGROUND
Femoral hernias are rare in children, accounting for fewer than 1 per cent of all paediatric groin hernias. Misdiagnosis is common and a source of complications. There is no consensus on the age and sex distribution or the optimum method of repair.


METHODS
A personal experience of four children with femoral hernia is reported together with an institutional review of a further ten hernias encountered during the past 11 years.


RESULTS
Peak incidence was between 5 and 10 years of age. Misdiagnosis was common, partly because of the variability in presenting symptoms and signs. In this series, boys were more commonly affected but a literature review indicated a similar sex incidence.


CONCLUSIONS
A femoral hernia should be positively excluded if the operative findings at inguinal exploration are inconsistent with the preoperative signs and in any child with a suspected recurrent inguinal hernia. Excision of the sac and repair of the femoral canal is curative.
Radcliffe
G
G
Department of Paediatric Surgery, United Leeds Hospital Trust, UK.
Stringer
M D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006550:Hernia, Femoral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence