Application of the laparoscopic auxiliary needle device in the treatment of pediatric inguinal hernia: an eight-year experience

Pediatric inguinal hernia is a common surgical condition among children. In this study, we present the application of a self-designed laparoscopic auxiliary needle device (China Patent Number: ZL 201320479515.5) and evaluate its effectiveness in laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure in pediatric patients. The laparoscopic auxiliary needle device, with a diameter of 1 mm, consists of a cylindrical needle body and a specifically designed front end. Between January 2013 and January 2021, a total of 2075 children with inguinal hernia (1864 males and 211 females, mean age 3.71 ± 2.95 years old) were included in this study. All patients underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair using the laparoscopic auxiliary needle device. Various data were collected including occult inguinal hernia incidence, complications such as recurrence, and follow-up findings. The entire patient cohort underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair using the laparoscopic auxiliary needle. Pneumoperitoneum lasted 5.1 ± 1.2 min in unilateral hernia cases and 11.0 ± 1.3 min in bilateral hernia cases. Occult inguinal hernia were found in 981 (47.3%) patients, out of which initially difficult diagnoses were encountered in 516 cases (24.9%). Postoperative follow-up ranged from 3 to 96 months, with two instances (0.1%) of inguinal hernia recurrence reported. Importantly, no patients reported any visible scars or sensations of subcutaneous foreign bodies. Based on our extensive patient cohort, we assert that our self-designed laparoscopic auxiliary needle device represents a valuable tool for performing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs while minimizing abdominal scarring. Additionally, this device offers the additional advantage of detecting contralateral occult inguinal hernia.