Indirect inguinal hernia in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

There is an increasing number of patients whose permanent renal failure is managed by chronic peritoneal dialysis. Four adult male patients developed symptomatic indirect inguinal hernias shortly after the institution of dialysis. The hernia sac in each of the patients was both narrow and elongated. We postulate that in each patient the hydrostatic pressure of the dialysis fluid converted a patient processus vaginalis into a symptomatic indirect hernia.