title: Incidence of contralateral patent processus vaginalis in relation to age at laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure for pediatric inguinal hernia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) allows the surgeon to look for contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) directly. We investigated the incidence of CPPV in relation to age at LPEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following Institutional Review Board approval, 1232 patients ranging in age from 2 months old to 15 years old (median 4.7 years), who underwent LPEC, were investigated retrospectively. Patients were divided into five groups based on their age at surgery: younger than 1, 1-2, 2-4, 4-6 years, and older than 6 years. The incidence of CPPV being detected by preoperative ultrasonography or laparoscopy was compared among these groups. Statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-square test or Cochran-Armitage trend test, and p < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of CPPV detected by ultrasonography decreased as the age increased (p < 0.0001), whereas the incidence of CPPV newly revealed by laparoscopy increased as age increased (p = 0.0001). There were no significant differences in the incidence of CPPV in patients with unilateral hernia among the five age groups (p = 0.74).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results showed that the incidence of CPPV in patients with unilateral inguinal hernia did not change in relation to their age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, 7-426, Morioka-cho, Obu, Aichi, 474-8710, Japan. wsumida288gto@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sumida
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, 7-426, Morioka-cho, Obu, Aichi, 474-8710, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, 7-426, Morioka-cho, Obu, Aichi, 474-8710, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, 7-426, Morioka-cho, Obu, Aichi, 474-8710, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, 7-426, Morioka-cho, Obu, Aichi, 474-8710, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komatsuzaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Contralateral patent processus vaginalis; Laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure; Pediatric inguinal hernia