Bilaterality of Inguinal Hernia in Infancy and Preschool Childhood: A Study of the Operation Timing for Potential Contralateral Inguinal Hernia

Two hundred thirteen patients who underwent inguinal herniorrhaphy before 5 years old at Ewha Womans University Hospital during July 1986 to June 1991 were analyzed. The paients were classified into two groups. unilateral herniorrhaphy group and bilateral herniorrhaphy group.

The results of this study indicate the followings.

1) Among total 213 cases. unilateral herniorrhaphy was done in 160 patients and bilateral herniorrhaphy in 53 patients. ; The incidence of bilateral inguinal hernia was 25%.

2) The male to female sex ratio was 86% : 14%. and the incidence was highest in age group less than 1 year old(44.1%).

3) Among 53 cases with bilateral hernias. 19 cases had the simultaneous bilateral hernia and 34 cases had potential bilateral hernias. The incidence of potential contralateral hernia was 17.5% of total eases.

4) The incidence of bilateral hernia in each age group was 20~30%. with 25.6% and 20.0% in male and female, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant(p<0.1). Right side hernia showed potential contralateral hernia in 17.7% of cases and left side hernia showed in 17.3%, which was not significantly different(p>0.l).

5) Incidence of prematurity was not significantly different between two groups.

According to this study, since the incidence of contralateral hernia is low and there is no significant parameter for high potentiality of contralateral hernia, it is undesirable to explore the contralateral groin in all unilateral hernia patients.