title: Incidence of occult inguinal and Spigelian hernias during laparoscopy of other reasons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A true incidence of occult inguinal and Spigelian hernias in adult population is unknown. The frequency of incipient hernias was studied during laparoscopy of other abdominal diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 201 laparoscopic procedures included 104 cholecystectomies, 55 fundoplications, 36 diagnostic, and 6 miscellaneous operations. There were 133 females and 68 males with a mean age of 53 +/- 14 years. The orifices of all inguinal and Spigelian hernias were carefully recorded at the beginning of laparoscopy by using 30 degrees optic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall frequency of unexpected hernias was 43 of 201 (21%) including 36 (18%) inguinal hernias, 5 (2%) Spigelian hernias and 2 (1%) ventral hernias. The number of hernias was higher in males than in females (P = .003). The most common finding was indirect inguinal hernia in 27 (13%) subjects. Usually hernia orifices were insignificant and only 5 of 201 laparoscopic hernioplasties were undertaken without any complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occult hernia orifices are commonly found in laparoscopic operation. Usually the defects are asymptomatic and hernioplasty is not needed. Herniation of Spigelian fascia is rare (<2%) in adults during laparoscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Central Hospital of Mikkeli, Finland. hannu.paajanen@esshp.fi
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paajanen
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ojala
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virkkunen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies