title: Comparison of inguinal hernia and asymptomatic patent processus vaginalis in term and preterm infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of inguinal hernia (IH) and patent processus vaginalis (PPV) in term and preterm infants less than the age of 6months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2004 and December 2012, 246 term and 165 preterm infants underwent laparoscopic herniorrhaphy within the first 6months of life. Preoperative clinical presentation and intraoperative anatomical findings during the laparoscopic procedure were evaluated. Additionally, initial side of hernia, laterality of IH and PPV were analyzed in term and preterm infants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group of term infants, most infants presented with a primary right-sided IH (58.5%) versus 17.9% left-sided and 23.6% bilateral IH. Babies with primary unilateral IH were found to have a contralateral PPV in 41.0% of cases. A difference between left-sided PPV and right-sided PPV could not be identified. In the group of preterm infants, initial bilateral presentation was predominant (38.8%) versus right-sided (30.3%) and left-sided IH (30.9%). Infants with primary unilateral IH were found to have a contralateral PPV in 56.4%. We identified a slight difference between left-sided PPV (54.0%) and right-sided PPV (58.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IH is predominantly right sided in term infants, whereas preterm infants mostly present with bilateral IH. The incidence of PPV was found to be significantly higher in the preterm group. Regarding the incidence of a contralateral PPV in term and preterm infants, no difference between initial left-sided and right-sided IH could be identified between both groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: burgmeierch@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burgmeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biometrics, University Medical Center Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dreyhaupt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schier
mesh_terms: D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014621:Vagina / Q000196:embryology*
keywords: Inguinal hernia; Patent processus vaginalis; Preterm infants; Term infants