Ventral Hernia Repair in Children
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 2, 2024.
AMBULATORY CARE:
What you need to know about ventral hernia repair:
A ventral hernia repair is surgery to fix your child's abdominal wall hernia. A ventral hernia may be repaired if the hernia is preventing blood flow to your child's organs or blocking his or her intestines. It is usually done by an open repair. This means that one incision will be made over the hernia to fix it.
How to prepare your child for a ventral hernia repair:
Your child's healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare your child for surgery. You may be told not to let your child eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of his or her surgery. Your child's provider may instead tell you that your child can have clear liquids until 2 hours before his or her surgery. You may breastfeed your child up to 4 hours before surgery. Your child's provider will tell you which medicines your child should or should not take on the day of surgery. Your child may be given an antibiotic to help prevent a bacterial infection.
What will happen during a ventral hernia repair:
- Your child will be given general anesthesia to keep him or her asleep and free from pain during surgery. Your child's healthcare provider will make one incision over the hernia. The provider may instead make 2 to 4 smaller incisions at different places on your child's abdomen. A laparoscope and other instruments may be used to fix the hernia.
- In both types of hernia repair, tools are used to remove the hernia sac that contains your child's intestines or abdominal tissue. Next, your child's provider will move your child's intestines or tissue back into their correct place. Strong stitches will be used to close the opening in your child's abdominal wall. This may prevent your child's intestines and tissues from bulging through his or her abdominal wall again. Your child's provider may close the incisions with stitches, medical glue, or strips of medical tape. A small pressure bandage may be placed over the incision.
What will happen after a ventral hernia repair:
Healthcare providers will monitor your child until he or she is awake. Your child may be able to go home when his or her pain is controlled and he or she can drink liquids. Your child may instead need to spend a night in the hospital.
Risks of a ventral hernia repair:
Your child's organs, blood vessels, or nerves may get injured during the surgery. Your child may bleed more than expected or get an infection. A pocket of fluid may form under your child's skin. This may heal on its own or may need to be removed. Problems, such as a hole in your child's intestines, may happen during laparoscopic repair that may lead to a laparotomy (open surgery). Even after your child has this surgery, there is a chance that he or she could have another hernia.
Call 911 for any of the following:
- Your child has trouble breathing.
Seek care immediately if:
- Blood soaks through your child's bandage.
- Your child's abdomen feels hard and looks bigger than usual.
- Your child's bowel movements are black, bloody, or look like tar.
Contact your child's healthcare provider if:
- Your child has a fever above 101°F.
- Your child develops a skin rash, hives, or itching.
- Your child's incision is swollen, red, or draining pus or fluid.
- Your child has nausea or is vomiting.
- Your child cannot have a bowel movement.
- Your child seems like he or she is still in pain or continues to cry after he or she takes pain medicine.
- You have questions or concerns about your child's condition or care.
Medicines:
Your child may need any of the following:
- Prescription pain medicine may be given. Ask your child's healthcare provider how to give him or her this medicine safely.
- Acetaminophen or ibuprofen are given to decrease your child's pain and fever. They can be bought without a doctor's order. Ask how much medicine is safe to give your child, and how often to give it.
- Do not give aspirin to children younger than 18 years. Your child could develop Reye syndrome if he or she has the flu or a fever and takes aspirin. Reye syndrome can cause life-threatening brain and liver damage. Check your child's medicine labels for aspirin or salicylates.
- Give your child's medicine as directed. Contact your child's healthcare provider if you think the medicine is not working as expected. Tell the provider if your child is allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs your child takes. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why they are taken. Bring the list or the medicines in their containers to follow-up visits. Carry your child's medicine list with you in case of an emergency.
Care for your child's surgery area as directed:
Ask your child's healthcare provider when the area can get wet. Carefully wash around the area with soap and water. It is okay to let the soap and water run over the area. Dry the area and put on new, clean bandages as directed. Change your child's bandages when they get wet or dirty. If your child has strips of medical tape over the incision, allow them to fall off on their own. Do not let your child get in a bathtub, swimming pool, or hot tub until your child's provider says it is okay.
Care for your child:
- Feed your child a variety of healthy foods. Healthy foods include fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, low-fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, and fish. Healthy foods may help your child heal faster. Ask if your child needs to be on a special diet.
- Give your child liquids as directed. Liquids may prevent constipation and straining during a bowel movement. This will help prevent pressure on your child's incision, and another hernia from happening. Ask how much liquid your child should drink each day and which liquids are best for him or her.
- Apply ice on your child's incision for 15 to 20 minutes every hour or as directed. Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag. Cover it with a towel. Ice helps prevent tissue damage and decreases swelling and pain.
Activity:
Do not let your child play sports for 2 to 3 weeks. He or she may be able to return to daycare or school 2 to 3 days after surgery. Ask your child's healthcare provider when he or she can return to his or her normal activities.
Follow up with your child's healthcare provider as directed:
Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.
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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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