To investigate the clinical characteristics and common etiologies of misdiagnosis in pediatric direct inguinal hernia.
Approach:
Study Design: A retrospective analysis of 23 pediatric cases of direct inguinal hernia treated at Wuhan Children's Hospital from September 2020 to September 2025.
Key Findings:
All 23 cases were initially misdiagnosed as indirect inguinal hernia preoperatively.
10 cases were correctly identified as direct inguinal hernia during initial surgery.
11 patients developed ipsilateral inguinal masses postoperatively due to misdiagnosis, confirmed as direct inguinal hernia during laparoscopic reoperation after an average interval of 4.7 months.
No instances of recurrence or complications were reported during postoperative follow-up.
Interpretation:
The diagnosis of direct inguinal hernia is challenging, with intraoperative misdiagnosis being a primary cause of reoperation.
Limitations:
The study is limited to a single center and a small sample size of 23 cases.
The retrospective nature may introduce bias.
Conclusion:
Laparoscopic management of pediatric direct inguinal hernia demonstrates safety, efficacy, and low complication rates.
