Pathology of the Peritoneal-Vaginal Canal in Children in Rural Areas

The purpose of this study was to identify the closure anomalies of the peritoneal-vaginal canal in order to describe the epidemiological, anatomo-clinical and therapeutic aspects in our practice. Patients and methods: As part of the community health program, we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in the Cuvette Ouest department, Oyo city Congo. It took place from May 25th to July 25th, 2017 (2 months). Included in the study were male children, admitted for inguinal, inguino-scrotal or scrotal swelling and for whom the surgical procedure made it possible to note a form of persistence of the peritoneal-vaginal canal. For each cases, epidemiological, anatomo-clinical and therapeutic aspects were analyzed. Results: A total of 277 patients were treated over a period of 2 months. The average age was 6.5 years (1 month-17 years). The reason for consultation was inguinal and inguino-scrotal swelling, painless and intermittent in 57%. Pathology of the peritoneo-vaginal canal was located on the right side in 142 cases. The anatomo-clinical types were dominated by hernia in 57%. Pathology of the peritoneo-vaginal canal was associated with umbilical hernia in 44% and prosthectomy was done in 16.6%. The treatment was surgical in all our patients. The operative course was marked by two cases of scrotal hematoma and five cases of parietal suppuration. Conclusion: The pathologies of the peritoneal-vaginal canal are very frequent in children in pediatric surgery departments and are dominated by inguinal and inguino-scrotal hernias. Their treatment is surgical.