At what age is it advisable to have inguinal hernia surgery?

• There is no age limitation for inguinal hernia repair, the limitations are based on the patient's health.
• Inguinal hernia is also operable in infants, being a quick surgery and allowing the infant to sleep at home the same day.
• Inguinal hernia should be operated on as soon as possible, especially if internal tissue strangulation occurs and may cause peritonitis.

The recommended age or time to have an inguinal hernia operation will be determined by your state of health. Thus, it is likely that the specialist will not recommend it if the person to be operated on has any medical problem with regard to the surgical intervention.

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Similarly, patients who are in good health and have inguinal hernias with symptoms will be recommended for surgical repair. In addition, there are complications that require immediate and urgent surgery, such as an incarcerated or strangulated hernia.

However, surgical repair of inguinal hernia is not always recommended as the first option. In any case, it should be the specialist who does so, based on each individual case.

Throughout the article, you will be able to read specific cases in which inguinal hernia surgery is recommended or not. As you will see, surgery is not always the first option, but it is the only one that repairs the groyne problem definitively.

In addition, there are a number of circumstances in which, regardless of the age or stage of life at which the hernia has developed, intervention to repair it is necessary, but why?

• It affects other tissues near the hernia. In most cases, if the hernia is not surgically repaired, it grows in size, which may affect other parts of the body. In men, the protrusion of tissue can extend into the scrotum, causing testicular pain and swelling.
• Incarcerated hernia. The abdominal contents of the hernia can become trapped in one spot, even obstructing the bowel. It is important to see a doctor immediately if you have symptoms such as: nausea or vomiting, inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement.
• Strangulated hernia. The incarcerated hernia mentioned above can cut off the blood supply to part of the intestine, causing strangulation. This can lead to death of the affected tissues, which can be life-threatening.

Although hernia can occur at any age, it is true that there is an increased risk in newborns. However, it may not be visible for several weeks or months after birth.

A baby with an inguinal hernia has a lump in the groyne or scrotum (if a boy), which comes and goes with exertion, such as crying. Conversely, the inguinal hernia may shrink in size when asleep or relaxed.

It is very important not to ignore symptoms of pain or any lumps in an infant or child.

In the event that a baby has an inguinal hernia, surgery will be necessary, so your paediatrician will most likely refer you to a paediatric surgeon to perform the procedure as soon as possible.

Surgery in infants is always recommended, given the high risk of incarceration and strangulation.

This surgery lasts between 30 minutes and 1 hour and, once the operation is over, the medical team will prescribe a series of medications to alleviate any discomfort that may occur during recovery.

Yes, just as inguinal hernia surgery is recommended and performed in adults, it will also be done in children and adolescents. 

In these cases, the hernia will become more noticeable when the child coughs or strains during bowel movements.

So, in addition to the hernia bulge, one of the definite signs that your child may have to see a doctor is:

• Fever
• Pain with possible infection
• Difficulty in passing stools or bowel movements

In cases where the child or adolescent presents symptoms, inguinal hernia repair will be recommended.

First of all, it is important to know that surgery does not pose any risk, as long as there are no associated medical problems that could lead to any type of complication. Therefore, the specialist will study the case carefully to recommend surgery or not.

If the elderly patient is in good health, surgery is the best option. This will eliminate pain and restore quality of life, as inguinal hernia involves, in the worst cases, the restriction of certain movements.

If an older person has an inguinal hernia, it is best to have scheduled surgery and not wait for an emergency situation. This means that the hernia should be treated when there are no complications, because if it is done urgently, the complication rate will increase.

The mortality rate for planned inguinal hernia surgery is virtually zero in patients in good health. However, in this case, as in the previous ones, the opinion of the specialist will be necessary to conclude on the best option.

Although hernias do not disappear on their own, it is true that surgery is the only definitive treatment, but it is not always resorted to. 

Many people do not have symptoms or excessive size, so surgery is an option that can wait.

In addition, there are reasons why inguinal hernia surgery is not recommended, such as:

• Small, asymptomatic hernia
• Disappears when pushed inward
• Incompatible medications being taken with surgery
• Health problems that jeopardise the outcome of the surgery
• Skin infection

In some cases, the specialist may suggest the use of a corset or a groyne truss. However, this is not always the best option as it may cause some damage. 

Therefore, a specialist's opinion and assessment will always be necessary to know which treatment is best for you, your family members and/or relatives.

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• Góngora-Gómez, E. M. (2012, agosto). La hernia inguinal estrangulada. Recuperado de https://www.medigraphic.com/pdfs/circir/cc-2012/cc124i.pdf
• The American College of Surgeons. (2014, mayo). Hernia: Inguinal/Femoral. Recuperado de https://www.facs.org/~/media/files/education/patient%20ed/herniaespanol.ashx