Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Sociéte française de pédiatrie
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Abnormal persistence of the processus vaginalis in children predisposes to a complication that is strangulated inguinal hernia. The inguinal hernia is a frequent pathology because global incidence varies from 0,8 to 4,4% for children of any age and reaches about 30% in premature children. Strangulated inguinal hernia is rare (from 1,5 to 8%) and constitutes a surgical emergency. ⋯ Current practice is to operate early in these children, including preterm infants, before any complication arises. This early surgery requires use of regional anaesthetic techniques such as spinal anaesthesia, ileo-inguinal ileohypogastric nerve blocks and caudal anaesthesia. However, although this pathology may appear to be routine commonplace it requires a specialized surgical and anaesthetic approach and specialized environment.
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Tetanus has become an exceptional disease in industrialized countries since vaccination. ⋯ Tetanus mortality has decreased, but its morbidity is still severe. The only way to prevent it is vaccination. Almost all pediatric cases concern patients living in families refusing vaccination, because of philosophic or religious beliefs.