1 Division of Pediatric Surgery, UMDNJ-Rutgers Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Pediatric surgeons are often confronted with a child referred for an inguinal hernia, in which the hernia cannot be elicited or demonstrated at physical examination. The mother usually gives an excellent history, but in spite of pushing and prodding of the baby, and making the baby cry, the hernia does not appear. This report will demonstrate how a clever mother confirmed the presence of a bulge in spite of the surgeon's inability to demonstrate it on three visits.
CASE REPORT
A 15-month-old male infant was seen because the mother had noticed a left inguinal bulge. On physical examination, in spite of every maneuver attempted, no bulge was demonstrated.