title: [Inguinal symptoms of acute abdomen].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We describe a syndrome in which empty hernial sac, in its role of peritoneal recess, becomes distended with pus during or after general peritonitis, usually caused by acute appendicitis. Until 1998, only 14 pediatric cases were described in the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We presented here eight cases of patients who experienced inguinal symptoms. In four, appendectomy was performed; in four, this was secondary to necrotizing enterocolitis. Inguinal complaints, pain, and flogosis were present in first group, while pneumoperitoneum and visible duct vaginalis were present in second group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These cases demonstrated that persistent patent processus vaginalis may predispose to inguinal pathology secondary to intraabdominal sepsis and represent a unique complication.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía Genearl, Hospital Pediátrico Moctezuma, Oriente 158 No. 189, Col. Moctezuma 2a Secc., 15500 México D.F., México.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baeza-Herrera
authors.forename: Newton
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiménez-González
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Atzin-Fuentes
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sanjuan-Fabián
authors.forename: Arturo Hermilo
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Godoy-Esquivel
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000150:complications*; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007264:Inguinal Canal / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000196:embryology; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D011027:Pneumoperitoneum / Q000150:complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous