Can an inguinal hernia in children heal on its own?

Inguinal hernia is a congenital developmental abnormality and a relatively common disease in pediatric surgery. A lump will appear in the groin area of ​​a child shortly after birth. The incidence rate is relatively high in males, and the best treatment is surgery. It cannot heal itself without treatment. Parents should pay attention to it to avoid harming the healthy development of their children.

The best treatment for inguinal hernia in children is surgery. The best time to perform surgery is after 6 months. However, if an incarcerated hernia occurs, surgery should be performed early to prevent repeated incarceration and serious consequences.

1. Non-surgical treatment

When children under 6 months old are not suitable for surgery due to serious illness, they can be temporarily treated with hernia belt therapy in the hope that they will heal on their own. The method is to first return the hernia contents and then use a hernia belt or gauze compression method to compress the internal ring opening to prevent the hernia contents from falling out. When using it, it should be placed in a proper position and the hernia contents should be observed at any time to see if they are dislodged. Otherwise, it will not only have no therapeutic effect but may cause the hernia contents to become incarcerated. Therefore, surgical treatment is still recommended for children with inguinal hernia.

2. Surgical treatment

Suitable for inguinal oblique hernia in children over 6 months old and with a history of incarceration. Generally, a transverse abdominal muscle incision is used, and the hernia sac is high ligated through the inguinal or abdominal region. Routine exploration of the contralateral side is not recommended in China unless bilateral inguinal hernia has been diagnosed before surgery.

In recent years, pediatric laparoscopy has been used both at home and abroad to perform high ligation of the pediatric hernia sac. It is less traumatic, safe and reliable, has a quick recovery, and is less likely to affect the development of the spermatic cord and testicles. It can treat bilateral hernias at the same time or treat one side and explore the opposite side without increasing pain.

Chronic diseases such as chronic cough, dysuria, and constipation should be treated before hernia surgery to prevent recurrence after surgery.

Except for a few infantile hernias, most inguinal hernias cannot heal on their own. As the disease progresses, the hernia mass gradually grows larger, making treatment difficult. In addition, inguinal hernia is prone to incarceration (the hernia mass gets stuck and cannot be retracted) and strangulation (ischemic necrosis of the intestinal segment within the hernia), and even intestinal perforation, which endangers the patient's life! Therefore, except for a few special cases, hernias in children should receive thorough treatment as soon as possible.