Femoral Hernia in Infancy and Childhood

Abstract

Femoral hernia in the infant or child is a condition which is found infrequently. Only 0.4%^1,2to 0.6%^aof all hernias in children will be of the femoral variety. In a total of 3,395 adult hernioplasties performed in several general hospitals, 3.3% were femoral.⁴It is therefore evident that there is a significant increase in the incidence in the adult as compared with the child. Many⁵believe that femoral hernias are never congenital. Because of this belief and because we felt there was no recent review of the subject, we undertook a study of femoral hernias in children. We have observed two femoral hernias in children in the last five years. <h3>Report of Cases</h3><h3>Case 1.</h3> —A 9-year-old white boy was admitted on Dec. 3, 1953, because of a right inguinofemoral mass of two months' duration. There had been no associated pain, nausea, or vomiting. At