Inguinal hernia and hydrocele

Even in utero, in the fetus, the testicles are located and develop, until a certain age, in the abdominal cavity. Shortly before childbirth, the testicles enter the inguinal canal, pulling out the peritoneum like a shell (as if wrapped around it) and, descending through the inguinal canal, pass into the scrotum. Normally, after the end of the process of testicular descent, the peritoneum "sticks" to the elements of the spermatic cord and the testicle acquires another shell. But sometimes, for a reason not completely understood, the elongated pocket from the peritoneum does not “stick” to the elements of the spermatic cord, and a gap forms between the testicular membrane and the testicle itself. It is into this gap that it rushes, depending on its size, either the stuffing box or the liquid.

For girls, the process is similar. The peritoneum protrudes into the inguinal canal, with the difference that the testicles do not descend anywhere, so there is practically no dropsy of the membranes, but in girls, not only the omentum, but also the fallopian tube often goes into the hernial sac. And this is a serious argument.

 What to do?

Well, the main thing is not to overdo it. We all know that it is undesirable to operate on a child before the age of 3, and it is desirable to operate before the age of 7. Sometimes there are recommendations from doctors to massage the inguinal canal and squeeze fluid into the abdominal cavity in young children (under 1 year old) in the hope of self-closure of a hernia or dropsy. Do not do this under any circumstances! The maximum that can be done to “hold out” to a favorable age is to gently correct the hernia if its release leads to anxiety in the child. Any student who has passed the Department of Pediatric Surgery can teach you this in 5 minutes. It is impossible to put pressure on a hernia and dropsy under any circumstances, because. constant traumatization of the elements of the spermatic cord can lead to cicatricial changes in the tissues of the spermatic cord itself, and in girls it is even worse - to adhesions and scars in the fallopian tube.

 Treatment:

Up to 3 years of age - observation.

From 3 to 7 years - planned surgical treatment.

 After the operation - live happily, forgetting about the hernia.