Child Hernia Operation Advice

[Nyukki]

(FYI I'm copying this post from a Beijing expat forum where I just posted it a few minutes ago, appreciate any advice you guys can give. Thanks!)

Hi all,

My son is 3 1/2 months old and was screaming particularly bad tonight. We took him to the nearby children's hospital where after a quick examination we were told he has an Oblique Inguinal Hernia （腹股沟斜疝）, but that he is currently too young to be operated on.

From what I could tell, rather than his stomach protruding through his abdomen, it seems to be a case of his testicle moving back up towards his stomach. We were told to get a special belt type thing for him to wear that keeps things in place.

I should add that I apparently had something similar as a baby too, starting also at about 4-5 months old, but doctors in the UK kept saying it was nothing, until my mum went to a different doctor when I was about a year old who recognised the issue and operated on me right away.

So, two questions:

1. Anyone know how long my son's supposed to wear this belt thing and when can we get the operation done to sort this out?

2. Anyone had something similar done and which hospitals/surgeons would you recommend?

Thanks a lot in advance! Cheers.

[Stark]

Wow, that sounds terrible. Is there some reason his questions weren't answered by the children's hospital he went to?

[Nyukki]

Thanks. To be fair we should have taken more time and asked all the questions, but hospitals here are pretty chaotic and we actually kinda barged in ourselves and forced the doctor to take a look.

From what I can find online it seems like a pretty common thing. Apparently two percent of guys have it at some point in their life. Just can't confirm what the doc said today about him being too young for the op. If young Dannyboy can get it sorted now then I don't want to hang about, but also don't want to rush things if it puts him at risk.

[Overload]

I had that type of hernia when I was 2, but I was old enough for the op. Hope it all works out!

[Nyukki]

Thanks. Reading more online, some places say the ideal age is 1 year and above, though it can be done at any time. Going to another doctor today for a second opinion.

[chupon]

My advise:

1. You won't find the best answers to pediatric medical questions on a retro gaming forum.

2. Do your research and get a second opinion from a better doctor at a better children's pediatric hospital.

[ninjainspandex]

My advise:

1. You won't find the best answers to pediatric medical questions on a retro gaming forum.

2. Do your research and get a second opinion from a better doctor at a better children's pediatric hospital.

Pshh I get most of my medical advise from retro gaming forums. That said i have this painful bump on the back of my head near a mole, should I be worried? Could it be a spiderbite? It kind of throbs and burns.

[J T]

My advise:

1. You won't find the best answers to pediatric medical questions on a retro gaming forum.

2. Do your research and get a second opinion from a better doctor at a better children's pediatric hospital.

I've even worked in a pediatric primary care clinic and I had the thought "why are you asking me?"

[Nyukki]

@chupon

Well, I thought being a retro gaming forum, there's bound to be plenty of middle aged guys with kids, so it wouldn't be completely extraordinary if it had happened to someone else here. Also, I think as well as asking experts, it's good to ask people who have gone through similar experiences, since I'm worried when doctors tell me he needs an operation they're only saying that so I write them a check.

Your second point is obviously completely valid. Thanks.

[marurun]

My bro had surgery for this when he was 2 or 3, and I went in at the same time (I was 5 or so) for surgery to deal with a hydroseal which might have lead to something like that. I can't talk about when is and isn't old enough, but I know in my bro's case they basically tied the testicle down. He had a button-like thing sewn to the outside of his scrotum that anchored the testicle until his body could sort things out internally. I'm sure they helped it along as well. How young they can operate may have a lot to do with whether they are equipped to do such things. Surgery is always risky on infants due to the increased risk of complications of anesthesia, among other things.