Premature Child (Bilateral Inguinal Hernia)

Lower abdomen, genitals and thighs of a premature infant. Swelling of both groins which is distinctly visible and continues down to the scrotal insertion. The glans of the penis is not recognizable. It is a clinical manifestation of a bilateral inguinal hernia in a premature infant. In prematurity the occurrence of a frequently bilateral inguinal hernia is much higher than in infants born at term. There are retractile testicles which are not visible in this case because they are smaller than the visible swellings, and because both scrotal halves are only occasionally filled with a palpable testis. As additional finding, there is a physiological 'phimosis'.