Paediatrics
Childhood Hernia and Hydrocele Repair in Nigeria
A groin hernia in a child is a small sac left open from before birth, and fluid around a boy's testicle often comes through the same opening. Both are fixed by the same short operation, a herniotomy, which ties off the sac through a small cut in a groin crease. No mesh is used. It is a day case for most children.
Also called: Herniotomy, Paediatric inguinal hernia repair, Hernia surgery for babies, Hydrocele surgery for children
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Published price
₦450,000
Fixed all-in case rate, one side
Day case for most children.
What the price covers
- Paediatric surgeon and anaesthetist
- Theatre time
- A day bed, with a parent staying throughout
- Routine medication on the day
- The post-operative review at six weeks
What it does not cover
- The first consultation
- Treating other conditions found during work-up, such as anaemia or a chest infection
- Emergency surgery for a trapped hernia
- Overnight monitoring for a baby born early, where it is needed
Related prices
Both sides, one admission
₦585,000
What would change this price
- Both sides repaired, priced separately above
- A baby born prematurely who needs to stay overnight for breathing monitoring after the anaesthetic
- A trapped hernia needing emergency surgery
- An undescended testis fixed at the same time
If an HMO is paying, the case needs prior authorisation before admission. Bring your HMO number to the first consultation and the desk will start it. If the plan declines, you are told the cash price before anything is booked.
Who this is for
- Any groin hernia in a child, because it will not close on its own and can trap bowel; babies are repaired soon after diagnosis
- A hydrocele still present after a year to eighteen months of age
- A hydrocele that gets bigger and smaller through the day, which means the opening is still there
When it is not the right answer
- A hydrocele in the first year that is not changing in size, most of which go away on their own
- A bulge at the belly button in a young child, which is an umbilical hernia and usually closes by four or five
- A groin lump that is hard, tender and will not go back, especially with vomiting, which needs an emergency department today
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Examination₦35,000
Diagnosis is by examination. A scan is rarely needed.
- 2
Anaesthetic review
Your child's health, any recent cough or cold, and fasting times.
- 3
The operation
Thirty to forty five minutes under general anaesthetic, with a local block so your child wakes comfortable.
- 4
Home the same day
Once feeding and passing urine. Babies born early may stay one night.
- 5
Review at six weeks₦25,000
The wound and the repair checked.
Recovery, realistically
Day 1
Sleepy and a little sore. Feeding again within hours.
Days 2 to 7
Back to normal play within days, usually sooner than parents expect.
Week 2
School or nursery. Avoid straddle toys and bikes for two weeks.
Risks you should be told about
- Wound infection
- Swelling of the scrotum for a few days
- The hernia coming back, uncommon
- Injury to the testicle's blood supply or the sperm tube, rare
- The testicle being drawn up afterwards, rare, and checked at the review
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Is it safe for a baby to have an anaesthetic?
A short anaesthetic given by an anaesthetist experienced with children is very safe. The risk of a hernia trapping bowel, which is highest in babies, is the greater danger.
Why not wait until my child is older?
A hernia in a child can trap bowel at any time, and the risk is highest in the first year. A hydrocele, unlike a hernia, can be watched for a while.
Will it affect his fertility?
A routine repair does not. Injury to the sperm tube is rare.
Is a hydrocele the same thing?
Nearly. In a child, the fluid comes down the same open channel a hernia uses, which is why the same operation fixes both.
Prices shown are Mezo cash prices in naira and were last checked on 11 October 2026. They are what you would be quoted for the standard case described here. Your final quote follows an examination, because the right operation for you may not be this one.