The tunnel should close after the testicles move through it. In some boys, the tunnel doesn't completely close. This can cause swelling because the fluid which cushions the intestines can drain into the scrotum. Sometimes the swelling can increase and decrease as a child strains or cries. If the tunnel is large enough to allow the intestines to move down toward the scrotum, the boy has a hernia.
Hernias are more common in boys who are born prematurely.
Because a hernia will tend to enlarge as a boy gets older and because it can cause problems with the intestines, it needs to be fixed. The best treatment for a hernia is a surgery to close the tunnel draining into the scrotum. For that reason we recommend checking both sides at the same time. An incision is made in the groin. The tunnel is found inside the abdomen and then tied off so that no more fluid can drain to the scrotum.