Abstract
Inguinal hernia repair is the most common surgery performed in infants and children. The incidence rises in premature neonates. Our practice is to repair inguinal hernias diagnosed in premature infants before discharge from the neonatal unit.
Many premature infants will also have feeding problems due to neurological impairment or congenital anomalies. A gastrostomy feeding tube may be required.
We present a successful technique of simultaneous repair of the inguinal hernia and laparoscopic-guided gastrostomy tube placement. The fiber optic camera can be placed through the hernia sac for excellent visualization. We recommend consideration of the feeding status of all neonates with hernias because the optimal time to place a gastrostomy may be at the time of hernia repair.
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