Patient's question:
Sister got a baby boy last year, but when the baby was five months old, the family noticed a small lump in the groin area. The doctor said it was infantile hernia. Since the child is too young, they were told to wait until the child is one year old to have a thorough examination. How old should a child be to have a hernia surgery?Doctor's answer:
Hydroceles are very common in clinical diagnosis. Since infants under one year old may have the potential for self-healing, hydroceles in this age group can be treated conservatively using external hydrocele belts. If the hydrocele does not heal on its own after the age of one, surgical treatment is necessary. In principle, surgery can be performed after the age of one, but individual differences among children vary greatly. It is generally recommended that hydrocele surgery be performed after the age of two for the most appropriate outcome.