Patient's question:
The child was born with a hernia. Since the birth, we have been rubbing his abdomen every day while putting him to bed, trying to find a plush toy for him to hold his legs. This is not a solution. We are thinking of getting him operated on as soon as possible. The doctor asked, "How old should a child be for hernia surgery?" Our child is currently three years old. Is this age suitable for surgery?Doctor's answer:
How should inguinal hernia patients undergo surgical treatment? The main factors for selecting surgical treatment include the child's age, the type of hernia, and the severity of the hernia. Taking the most common inguinal as an example, children over two years old have no chance of spontaneous healing, so it is recommended to undergo surgical treatment as early as three years old. At this age, the surgery is simple, with a small incision, quick recovery, minimal postoperative adverse reactions, and a low recurrence rate. If it is an umbilical hernia, if the umbilical ring diameter is not large, conservative treatment can be considered first. If it is still not healed at the age of 5, surgical treatment is necessary.