Abstract
Several reports with conflicting results have been published describing the incidence of testicular lesions resulting from incarcerated inguinal hernia. At the Department of Pediatric Surgery of the University of Graz, 178 children were treated for 180 incarcerated inguinal hernias from 1978 to 1985; 124 infants with suspected testicular lesions were followed up in 1984. The size of the testicles was determined using the Prader of the testicles was determined using the Prader orchidometer and comparing both testicles. In 18 children (14.4%) distinct testicular lesions were found. Infants less than 2 months old showed a significantly higher incidence of testicular lesions than older children (33.3% vs. 6.8%). Children in whom operative reduction of the incarcerated hernia was necessary had a significantly higher incidence of testicular atrophy than children in whom preoperative reduction was successful (29.0% vs. 9.6%). Our study shows that risk factors such as age, time of reduction, histologically proven hemorrhagic infarction, and undescended testis are of prognostic value.
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Fasching, G., Höllwarth, M.E. Risk of testicular lesions following incarcerated inguinal hernia in infants. Pediatr Surg Int 4, 265–268 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00177496
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00177496