title: A comparative study on trans-umbilical single-port laparoscopic approach versus conventional repair for incarcerated inguinal hernia in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to determine whether singleport laparoscopic repair (SLR) for incarcerated inguinal hernia in children is superior toconventional repair (CR) approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March 2013 and September 2013, 126 infants and children treatedwere retrospectively reviewed. All the patients were divided into three groups. Group A (48 patients) underwent trans-umbilical SLR, group B (36 patients) was subjected to trans-umbilical conventional two-port laparoscopic repair (TLR) while the conventional open surgery repair (COR) was performed in group C (42 patients). Data regarding the operating time, bleeding volume, post-operative hydrocele formation, testicular atrophy, cosmetic results, recurrence rate, and duration of hospital stay of the patients were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the cases were completed successfully without conversion. The mean operative time for group A was 15 ± 3.9 min and 24 ± 7.2 min for unilateral hernia and bilateral hernia respectively, whereas for group B, it was 13 ± 6.7 min and 23 ± 9.2 min. The mean duration of surgery in group C was 35 ± 5.2 min for unilateral hernia. The recurrence rate was 0% in all the three groups. There were statistically significant differences in theoperating time, bleeding volume, post-operative hydrocele formation, cosmetic results and duration hospital stay between the three groups (P < 0.001). No statistically significant differences between SLR and TLR were observed except the more cosmetic result in SLR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLR is safe and effective, minimally invasive, and is a new technology worth promoting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Qianfo Hill Hospital, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juntao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shuli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Children; incarcerated inguinal hernia; single-port laparoscopy; surgical repair