What are the methods for treating pediatric hernias?

Patient's question:

Right inguinal hernia, reducible, extending into the scrotum, painless, significantly enlarged

Doctor's answer:

1、Whether the child cries or not does not affect the surgery.
2、Regarding the choice of surgical method, it has always been a dilemma for many parents. Currently, there is no definitive conclusion in academia. To put it in simpler terms, there is still some debate about whether laparoscopic surgery is necessary for inguinal hernia repair. Traditional surgery itself is relatively simple, with minimal surgical trauma and wounds of about 1-2 cm. One advantage of minimally invasive surgery is that the incisions are small, resulting in less noticeable scars and a more aesthetic appearance. Therefore, if parents have high requirements for postoperative aesthetics, they can choose minimally invasive surgery. My personal opinion (for reference only): girls are more suitable for minimally invasive surgery (aesthetics, simpler and faster); bilateral hernia is more advantageous than unilateral; if one side has a hernia and the other side is uncertain, laparoscopic surgery can be considered; and also recurrent hernias.