AurieD Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My 5 week old dd has what is probably an inguinal hernia, it was picked up by my local child health nurse on Tuesday who told us to go to our GP which we did and my GP gave us a referral for a scan. So she has a scan on Thursday to confirm, this was earliest appointment we could get after calling a lot of places. The problem is I am getting a bit paranoid constantly watching her for signs that it has become strangulated. It may already be incarcerated, the GP didn't seem to try to push it back in so I don't know. I've only had her home a week and a half and she is my first so I really have no experience in what is normal which doesn't help, nor does Googling but I do that a lot anyway. I'm not even sure of the need for the scan, from my reading it doesn't seem like they are usually needed to diagnose a visible hernia and it is just going to delay getting it fixed. I'm wondering if my GP has selected the best course of action or if I should take her to someone else. Can anyone offer any reassurance or advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMV Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My 5 week old dd has what is probably an inguinal hernia, it was picked up by my local child health nurse on Tuesday who told us to go to our GP which we did and my GP gave us a referral for a scan. So she has a scan on Thursday to confirm, this was earliest appointment we could get after calling a lot of places. The problem is I am getting a bit paranoid constantly watching her for signs that it has become strangulated. It may already be incarcerated, the GP didn't seem to try to push it back in so I don't know. I've only had her home a week and a half and she is my first so I really have no experience in what is normal which doesn't help, nor does Googling but I do that a lot anyway. I'm not even sure of the need for the scan, from my reading it doesn't seem like they are usually needed to diagnose a visible hernia and it is just going to delay getting it fixed. I'm wondering if my GP has selected the best course of action or if I should take her to someone else. Can anyone offer any reassurance or advice? *If your daughter has an inguinal hernia then the defect will need to be surgically corrected. With the exception of pre-term infants (who have a higher risk of anesthesia complications including post anesthesia apnea), where many surgeons/anesthesiologists will prefer to wait (if possible) for these reasons, it is recommended that these be repaired sooner rather than later to prevent incarceration and strangulation. *Did your GP order a "scan" (? I'm guessing ultrasound but occasionally MRI is done) because they questioned the diagnosis? Imaging is only indicated if the diagnosis is in question, or if there is concern about a related comorbid condition (more commonly a concern with hernias that recur after repair). If your GP feels comfortable with the diagnosis they should just refer your daughter to a pediatric surgeon for repair. *If the hernia is not reducible (or able to be pushed back in) then this a concern for incarceration. This is a medical emergency and if this what you're seeing you should bring your child to your nearest emergency department. The EM physician may be able to manually reduce the hernia (which is good) but usually they will also arrange for an urgent surgical consultation for repair because incarcerated hernias can cause bowel obstructions in small children and can also progress to strangulated hernias. *Strangulated hernias occur when the blood supply to the caught bowel in the hernia sac is compromised. This becomes a surgical emergency because the blood supply must be restored or the bowel will die. The surgeon will operate and attempt to save the bowel but in some cases patients present too late and the bowel can only be resected. In some cases this can cause problems with digestion and absorption of nutrients for the child even after the bowel is removed (this depends on how much bowel needed to be removed and what type). Additionally due to the ischemic bowel infection and sepsis can ensue if this is not treated promptly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My son had this operation at two months. Normally it is not an emergency and can wait a few days to be fixed. My son was diagnosed on a Friday and had surgery on Saturday. The only reason was he had blood in his stool which put put him at high risk for infection. Normally I would not have even seen the specialist until sometime the following week with surgery after. Because he had blood in the stool he was sent from the specialist directly to children's hospital to be put on antibiotics before they could do the surgery the following day. As for the surgery, he had it Saturday afternoon and was home Sunday. It was the first ride in his car seat that he didn't scream bloody &$$@. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My younger son, now age 10, had a hernia and had it repaired at right about six months old. I was terrified. He ended up admitted through the ER because he needed surgery immediately. The hernia was not reducible and he was screaming. But the surgery was very quick and he recovered very very well. I can tell you more of our story but I wouldn't want to scare you. It all turned out fine in the end. It doesn't sound like your little girl's hernia is as urgent as his was. I would definitely try to get the appointment with the surgeon as soon as possible though. And if she starts screaming for no reason you can figure out, go to the ER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Ds had a hydrosil? hydrocil? No clue how to spell it. It's very similar and presents in the same sort of way and has the same basic surgery apparently. It was originally diagnosed as a hernia. They found it sort of late and it was operated on just before age 2, I think, or maybe just after. Of course at the time, I was anxious, but in the end it was so no big deal. He was recovered fully within a couple of days. Obviously, it will need surgery, but if it's not an immediate issue, they'll schedule it soon and it will be one of the easiest you can imagine within the context of "surgery." Outpatient, quick recovery, minimal follow up needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allyphoe Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hydrocele? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My son had an inguinal hernia at about age 2. The surgery was super easy--he was running around the house again a couple of hours after we brought him home. No recovery time. I was nervous about having him put under, and my youngest was put under last month for eye surgery--really, that is the hardest part. It is a very common surgery, and kids are AMAZING at how fast they recover. Get it taken care of, and try not to think about it too much. B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoHomeschooler Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I see premature boys with this condition quite frequently (I'm a NICU nurse). The only time I have seen a girl with it, her ovary was palpable in the herniation. I would consult a pediatric surgeon, which is likely what your GP will do. I'm assuming you are in the UK, and that medical referrals are handled a certain way. Im also assuming that your daughter was preterm or otherwise sick, if she has only been home with you only a short while. Many surgeons prefer to handle inguinal hernias conservatively, and wait until the baby is older and bigger for a better surgical outcome. In the meantime, continue to observe the hernia, which is easy to do with frequent diaper changes. If there are any changes, notify your GP or head to an emergency unit. Likewise, if there are any changes in your baby's overall condition, such as lethargy, vomiting yellow or green, swollen/distended abdomen, refusing to eat, fever, etc., then please head to an emergency unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurieD Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Thanks everyone. I guess I will just have to wait for the appointments and keep an eye on it. The surgery sounds pretty routine, I'm mostly worried about her being under a GA, she is still so tiny (2300g at her weigh in last week). IdahoHomeschooler, I'm in Australia and pretty much everything here is done by referral from your GP. She was pre-term and growth restricted but otherwise healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoHomeschooler Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I have seen some hernia repairs done with an epidural anesthesia, so that might be an option for your daughter. The surgery itself is actually pretty quick, and leaves a small incision in the diaper area. Pain is usually controlled with a mild pain reliever post-op. It is a pretty routine surgery, but it is *always* scary when it's your child. My daughter, unfortunately, has had several surgical procedures, so I get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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