INCARCERATED INGUINAL HERNIA IN NEWBORNS AND INFANTS
Authors: Gorbatyuk O. 
Published: November 2021

Introduction. Inguinal hernias (IG) in children are a congenital pathology of the processusvaginalis and a local manifestation of the syndrome of mesenchymal insufficiency. Incarcerated IG is the most common and dangerous complication, the risk of which is significantly higher in children during the first 3 months of life. To date, there is no perfect method of pinched IG treatment in newborns and infants. Data on the optimal timing of herniotomy in newborns and infants are also insufficient and contradictory.The aim of this study is to provide our own experience in the treatment of infants with pinched inguinal hernias.Material and methods. The material of this study is 97 newborns and infants with irreducible and incarcerated inguinal hernias. Diagnosis was based on anamnesis data, physical examination methods and ultrasound data with inguinal and scrotal Doppler. Indications for review radiography of the abdominal cavity were clinical signs of acute intestinal obstruction.Results and discussion. Analyzing the obtained results, we have found that the diagnosis of hernias in 91 (93.81%) children was based on anamnestic data, complaints of parents about the presence of bulging in the groin area and physical examination of a child. The most important condition for effective diagnosis is the thorough collection of anamnestic data to determine the duration of the acute condition in a child and its dynamics. It is important to examine a child in a horizontal and vertical position. Differential diagnosis of incarcerated IG in infants was performed with acute hydrocele, torsion of the spermatic cord, inguinal lymphadenitis, etc., which are very similar to incarcerated IG in small children.Treatment of incarcerated inguinal hernias in newborns and infants has been carried out using a combined strategy, which involved the use of conservative invagination of hernia contents (49.48% of patients) followed by delayed surgical correction and emergency surgery according to urgent indications (42.27% of infants).Among 48 children treated conservatively, non- operative manual hernia invagination (Taxis - method) was effective in 46 of them or 95.83%. We used this method in children with a strangulation period up to 12 hours in the absence of inflammation signs in the pinched area.Indications for urgent herniotomy were: strangulation period of more than 12 hours (12 children), ineffectiveness of conservative treatment for 1 hour (2 patients), intractable hernia protrusion in girls (27 patients).As for the planned surgery, we support surgical correction of inguinal hernias at the age of 6-12 months, which we consider optimal.Conclusions1. Conservative manual invagination of an incarcerated inguinal hernia in newborns and infants is used in terms of pinching the contents of the hernia lasting up to 12 hours and is effective in 95.83% of cases.2.Surgical intervention for incarcerated hernia in infants should be performed in children with a duration of pinching more than 12 hours, in cases of impossibility and / or ineffectiveness of conservative invagination for 1 hour and in girls.3. Correction of a incarcerated inguinal hernia in girls is not recommended due to the high risk of ovarian damage.