ABSTRACT
The first reference to hernia repair in children is credited to Celsus who in ad25 recommended removal of the hernia sac and testes through a scrotal incision. Pare recommended treatment of childhood hernia; however, the first accurate description was made by Pott in 1756. Czerny performed high ligation of the hernia sac through the external ring in 1877, and in 1899, Ferguson recommended that the spermatic cord should remain undisturbed during inguinal hernia repair. In 1912, Turner documented that high ligation of the sac was the only procedure necessary in most children. Herzfeld later advocated for outpatient surgical repair in 1938, followed by early repair in infancy being recommended by Ladd and Gross in 1941. The concept of bilateral inguinal exploration was promoted by Duckett, Rothenberg, and Barnett,
among others. Advances in neonatal intensive care have resulted in improved survival of premature infants who have a high incidence of hernia and an increased risk of complications. These cases have stimulated great interest into considerations regarding the timing of operation and choice of anesthesia. With the advent of laparoscopy, surgeons now have the choice of open or laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernias.
