Inguinal hernia in preterms in neonatal intensive care units: Optimal timing of herniorrhaphy and necessity of contralateral exploration in unilateral presentation

Retrospective study of 1990 pediatric inguinal hernia repairs found that delayed repair after NICU discharge is safe for preterm infants, with no increase in incarceration rates but lower recurrence compared to early repair. Preterm infants showed significantly higher bilateral hernia rates and shorter metachronous presentation intervals, supporting routine contralateral exploration in this population.