High association of congenital heart disease with indirect inguinal hernia.

We evaluated 103 patients with indirect inguinal hernia (IIH) for the association of congenital heart disease by echocardiography. Congenital cardiac abnormalities were recognized in 32% of patients with inguinal hernia, which is significantly higher than that reported in a population-based study in Turkey and other population-based studies. Ventricular septal defect and valvular anomalies are the most frequently detected malformations. Our findings suggest that screening for congenital hearth disease is necessary in children with indirect inguinal hernia.