BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: The laparoscopic treatment of inguinal hernia in children presents a higher frequency of relapse when suture technique procedures are used. Here, we present an alternative technique consisting of laparoscopic resection of the hernia sac without suture according to the physiopathology of pediatric inguinal hernia. METHODS: In prospective studies from June 2006 to January 2011, pediatric patients with a diagnosis of inguinal hernia were subjected to surgery as follows: resection of the hernia sac without suture was performed with a 3-port laparoscopic approach. Age, surgical time, recurrence, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: We analyzed 285 patients, who ranged from 1 month to 15 years old. They included 233 males, and 52 females. A percentage of 31.92 were bilateral (375 inguinal canals). The surgery time ranged from approximately 5 to 12 minutes. They were followed up 6 to 55 months, with an optimal evolution in 99.2%. Recurrence was observed in only 2 patients (0.53%), both of whom underwent incomplete resection. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrate that resection of the hernia sac without sutures allows for the treatment of inguinal hernia with a low recurrence rate.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: The laparoscopic treatment of inguinal hernia in children presents a higher frequency of relapse when suture technique procedures are used. Here, we present an alternative technique consisting of laparoscopic resection of the hernia sac without suture according to the physiopathology of pediatric inguinal hernia. METHODS: In prospective studies from June 2006 to January 2011, pediatric patients with a diagnosis of inguinal hernia were subjected to surgery as follows: resection of the hernia sac without suture was performed with a 3-port laparoscopic approach. Age, surgical time, recurrence, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: We analyzed 285 patients, who ranged from 1 month to 15 years old. They included 233 males, and 52 females. A percentage of 31.92 were bilateral (375 inguinal canals). The surgery time ranged from approximately 5 to 12 minutes. They were followed up 6 to 55 months, with an optimal evolution in 99.2%. Recurrence was observed in only 2 patients (0.53%), both of whom underwent incomplete resection. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrate that resection of the hernia sac without sutures allows for the treatment of inguinal hernia with a low recurrence rate.