Henrico, VA
A 27-year-old female asked:
is surgery the only treatment of inguinal hernia in a toddler? is there any other option if it's not that bad?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. David Earle answered
General Surgery 31 years experience
Only option : It would be nice if these could be treated non-surgically, but there is no other option. Inguinal hernia, unlike umbilical hernia in children is thought to have a lower overall risk for repair rather than observation. See a pediatric surgeon for a more complete evualuation. Appointment in the next week or two should be ok if there are no symptoms. If severe pain, head to an ER. Hope this helps!
3047 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. James Ferguson answered
Pediatrics 46 years experience
Not that bad ???: It may not be hurting him now but would you really want to face the risk. This means there is a defect in the tissues that keep his intestines in place in the abdomen. If a loop of intestines slip out and get trapped, the blood supply can be cut off and lead to dead bowel. Emergency surgery in the middle of the night is never a good idea. Once identified this should be fixed within 2 weeks or less
606 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Oct 23, 2017
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