Richard W. Hartmann Jr, MD

This baby was born at term via spontaneous vaginal delivery. A large left-sided inguinal hernia that completely filled the scrotum was obvious at birth (A). An ultrasonogram confirmed a complete bowel-containing inguinal-scrotal hernia. No hernia was present on the right side. Both testes were descended. The scrotum is shown after the hernia was reduced by manipulation (B).

During their physical examination of this infant who had been born at term via cesarean section, Richard W. Hartmann, Jr, MD, and J. Christiane Salansky, MD, of Halifax Medical Center, Daytona Beach, Fla, found no evidence of an external anal opening (A). A soft bulge was present at the anal site, and the external sphincter was palpable. The median raphe was thick; a drop of meconium was noted on the surface of the perineum midway from the anus to the base of the scrotum (B). The remainder of the examination findings were normal.