The features of contralateral manifestations after the repair of unilateral inguinal hernia

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Routine contralateral exploration in infants and children with unilateral clinical inguinal hernia is performed by many surgeons in a selected population of patients based on a presumed high incidence of patent processus vaginalis. Our purpose is to report the actual incidence of contralateral manifestations in infants and children after the repair of unilateral inguinal hernia. METHODS: From July 1985 through December 1995, 1,052 infants and children with unilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele were treated in our hospital without contralateral exploration. Among them, 1,001 patients (95.2%) were followed up for 1 to 11 years to determine if contralateral hernia developed after unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy. RESULTS: The overall incidence of contralateral hernia was 11.6% (116 of 1,001). In boys, the incidence was 13.1%, 13.7%, and 11.7% in those under 1 year, under 2 years of age, and in total, respectively. In girls, the incidence was 9.6%, 13.9%, 11.3%, in those under 1 year, under 5 years of age, and in total, respectively. The side of the initial repair did not influence the subsequent development of contralateral inguinal hernia. In children with hydrocele, the incidence of contralateral hernias was lower (7.6%). In girls with sliding hernias the contralateral occurrence was 12.5%. CONCLUSION: Given this low incidence of contralateral hernia after unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy, the authors do not recommend contralateral exploration for infants and children with unilateral inguinal hernia.