title: Laparoscopic hernia repair--when is a hernia not a hernia?
abstract: A wide range of diagnoses can present as inguinal hernia. Laparoscopic techniques are being increasingly used in the repair of inguinal hernias and offer the potential benefit of identifying additional pathology. The authors present the first reported case of a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck diagnosed laparoscopically. We review the incidence of identifying additional pathology through laparoscopy for inguinal hernia repair. We suggest that in patients with atypical presenting features of a hernia, the transabdominal preperitoneal, rather than a totally extraperitoneal, approach to groin hernia repair should be considered because of its greater diagnostic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, UK. davidbunting@doctors.org.uk.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bunting
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, UK.
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szczebiot
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, Cornwall, UK.
authors.forename: Alwyn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*