Does the laparoscopic treatment of paediatric hydroceles represent a better alternative to the traditional open repair technique? A retrospective study of 1332 surgeries performed at two centres in China

Abstract

LPEC is safe, feasible and effective for treating hydroceles in children and has the same recurrence rate as OR. However, LPEC is superior in operation time, hospital stay, occurrence of scrotal oedema, incision infection and occurrence of metachronous hernia or hydrocele. The transumbilical single-site two-port procedure has the same cosmetic effect as the single-port LPEC. According to our experience, the two-port LPEC approach is better for diagnosing cPPV and reducing metachronous hernia or hydrocele than the single-port LPEC procedure.