Timing of Inguinal Hernia Repair in Premature Infants
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01678638 |
Recruitment Status :
Active, not recruiting
First Posted : September 5, 2012
Last Update Posted : May 15, 2023
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Inguinal Hernia Premature Birth of Newborn | Procedure: IH repair before NICU discharge Procedure: IH repair at 55-60 weeks post-menstrual age | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 600 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Timing of Inguinal Hernia Repair in Premature Infants: A Randomized Trial |
Study Start Date : | June 2013 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | April 2023 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | July 2023 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Active Comparator: Early inguinal hernia (IH) repair
IH repair before NICU discharge
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Procedure: IH repair before NICU discharge
The IH repair is performed prior to NICU discharge (within 1-2 weeks of enrollment and randomization) |
Active Comparator: Late inguinal hernia (IH) repair
IH repair as outpatient at approximately 55-60 weeks post-menstrual age
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Procedure: IH repair at 55-60 weeks post-menstrual age
The IH repair will be performed as an outpatient between approximately 55-60 weeks post-menstrual age. |
- Significant adverse event (SAE) rate [ Time Frame: 9 months beyond NICU discharge ]Specific significant adverse events that are either treatment related or hernia related have been defined a priori and will be assessed in both groups from randomization until 9 months after NICU discharge.
- Number of hospital days [ Time Frame: From randomization until 9 months post NICU discharge ]Total number of hospital days
- Hospital costs [ Time Frame: Enrollment through 9 months after NICU discharge ]Departmental level costs at each participating institution will be determined for care that occurs from randomization until 9 months post NICU discharge.
- Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 3rd Edition [ Time Frame: 22-26 months corrected age ]Mean BSID scores; primarily cognitive domain

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Ages Eligible for Study: | up to 37 Weeks (Child) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Infant with estimated gestational age at birth of < 37 weeks, 0 days
- In a NICU at participating site
- Diagnosed with an IH per the pediatric surgery team
- Parents and providers willing to randomize the infant
Exclusion Criteria:
- Infant is undergoing another operative procedure and IH repair is planned as a secondary procedure (e.g. fundoplication or G tube is planned, and IH repair is considered a secondary procedure)
- Known major congenital anomaly that impacts neurodevelopmental outcome or chromosomal abnormality
- Family unable to return for follow up and later IH repair; or likely unable to monitor IH as outpatient

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01678638

Principal Investigator: | Martin L Blakely, MD, MS | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | |
Principal Investigator: | Jon E Tyson, MD, MPH | University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital |
Responsible Party: | Martin Blakely, Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01678638 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
11-225-01 |
First Posted: | September 5, 2012 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | May 15, 2023 |
Last Verified: | May 2023 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
inguinal hernia premature infants anesthesia safety |
neurodevelopmental outcome preterm infants neonatal prematurity |
Premature Birth Hernia Hernia, Inguinal Pathological Conditions, Anatomical Obstetric Labor, Premature |
Obstetric Labor Complications Pregnancy Complications Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Urogenital Diseases Hernia, Abdominal |