ABOUT THE DISEASE
It is a condition in which fluid gets collected around the testicles in a sac in the scrotum. The collected fluid causes swelling of the scrotum. Usually, it affects just one testicle. Most of the time, the condition does not cause pain. It occurs in newborn males as well as adult men.
SYMPTOMS
- • Swelling without pain. Feels like a water-filled balloon.
- • Swelling with pain, if associated with infection or twisting.
- • Mild discomfort in the scrotum.
CAUSES
Hydroceles are common in newborn males, caused due to failure in closure of the tract through which the testicles descend. During development the testicles descend from the abdomen to the scrotum down a tract known as the processus vaginalis. When this tract fails to close, the scrotum can fill with fluid from the abdomen. This situation usually resolves within a few months.
In men, hydroceles can result from :
- Injury to the scrotum.
- Infection or inflammation in the reproductive system.
- A tumor or cancer of the testicle.
- Twisting of a testicle.
DIAGNOSIS
- Physical examination.
- Hydroceles can be seen by shining a flashlight through the scrotum (transillumination) to see if the fluid inside the scrotum is clear.
- Blood tests and urine tests done to check for infection.
- Imaging studies like ultrasonography.
TREATMENT METHODS
The treatment plan depends on the cause and the severity of the problem. Hydroceles mostly close on their own in the case of infants, latest by the time they turn 1 year of age. However they need to be treated when they cause infection or discomfort.
Fluid may be drained through needle aspiration, but it tends to recur. Hydroceles from an inguinal hernia should be fixed with surgery as quickly as possible. Hydroceles that do not go away on their own after a few months may need surgery.
The Hydrocele surgery is known as:
Hydrocelectomy - where a cut is made in the scrotum to remove the fluid sac
You may also like to learn about:
Varicocele
Hernia
Testicle undescended
Scrotal masses/lump
Testicular torsion
Testicle retractile