title: Open versus minilaparoscopic herniorrhaphy for children: a prospective comparative trial with midterm follow-up evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A prospective clinical trial was designed to compare the midterm surgical and functional results between open (OR) and minilaparoscopic (MR) herniorrhaphy repairs for pediatric inguinal hernia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2005 and May 2008, 174 children with inguinal hernias were prospectively enrolled for either open or minilaparoscopic hernia repair. Of these children, 65 underwent open herniorrhaphy and 109 underwent minilaparoscopic herniorrhaphy. The postoperative functional status, pain, complications, and overall satisfaction were documented at outpatient clinic visits for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 35 patients were lost to follow-up evaluation and thus excluded. The mean follow-up period was about 2 years, and the baseline characteristics were matched between the two groups. The patients in the MR group had recurrence rates, postoperative pain, complications, and functional recovery comparable with those in the OR group. None in the MR patients experienced a contralateral metachronous inguinal hernia compared with 9.7% of the OR patients (p = 0.02). The MR patients had a higher rate of overall satisfaction than the OR patients (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minilaparoscopic herniorrhaphy was superior to open repair with regard to prevention of contralateral hernia occurrence and overall satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan. tsai0523@ms29.url.com.tw
authors.forename: Yao Chou
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chao-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Stephen Shei-Dei
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods
references.citation: BJU Int. 2002 Feb;89(3):269-72
references.pmid: 11856109
references.citation: Ann Surg. 1952 Jun;135(6):879-85
references.pmid: 14924543
references.citation: Surg Endosc. 2007 Sep;21(9):1623-5
references.pmid: 17353989
references.citation: J Urol. 2003 Feb;169(2):666-8
references.pmid: 12544340
references.citation: Surg Endosc. 2005 Jul;19(7):927-32
references.pmid: 15920685
references.citation: Surg Endosc. 2008 Aug;22(8):1751-62
references.pmid: 18398652
references.citation: Surgery. 1955 Jun;37(6):947-50
references.pmid: 14373316
references.citation: Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2008 Aug;18(4):344-7
references.pmid: 18716531
references.citation: Pediatr Surg Int. 2005 Dec;21(12):964-8
references.pmid: 16235058