Home Urology Hydrocele
Hydrocele is a process of collection of fluid in the scrotum. The scrotum is a Skin sac that hangs between legs in front of the pelvis in Males. In major cases, it can be left undone as per the doctor’s advice. If you feel pain due to hydrocele, a surgical procedure is required to drain out the fluids. In rare cases, the surgical procedure cannot help to cure hydrocele, due to underlying problems with testicles. The normal scrotum and testicles are generally loose, soft, and fleshy. Usually, you can feel your testis in the scrotum by touching sensation. It is normal to hang the left testicle lower than the right testis. The vas deferens is a tube that carries sperm from both the testes to penis. Hydrocele is a collection of fluid in the scrotum under one testis. Sometimes hydrocele is formed under both testicles.
The normal testes are surrounded by a sac that produces fluid for lubrication for testes to move easily. This sac cannot be felt easily. When the ratio of fluid alters in the scrotum, the excess fluid is drained. Hydrocele is formed when this excessive fluid accumulates under testes.
They are common for both adults and children both. For children, Pediatric Urologist is consulted and for Adults Urologist is consulted.
Symptoms of Hydrocele:
Generally, hydrocele has no pain, so the major symptom is Swollen Scrotum. If you or your child has severe pain scrotum, due to inflammation or infection after surgery infection affects the sac or channel for entering and draining of excessive fluids.
For continuous severe pain, consult a urologist on an urgent basis. Testicle Torsion is a condition when testicles are twisted due to an accident or injury. It blocks the blood supply in testicles and leads to infertility.
Diagnosis of Hydrocele
A physical examination was done by the urologist to check the swelling in the scrotum. The urologist will not be able to feel testicles completely.
The urologist will pass light through the skin of the scrotum to check the tenderness and shine of the scrotum. This process is called transillumination. It helps the doctor to identify the fluid in the scrotum. If the fluid is present it will reflect light through it after slight pressing up of the testicle. Light is not transmitted if swelling is due to hard mass (Cancer). The test does not provide confirmation but can be helpful.
Blood and urine samples are taken for testing. A doctor may advise ultrasound to check the condition of hernia, tumor, or other causes of swelling in the scrotum.
Hydrocele Treatment:
In Infants, hydrocele goes away within a year, if it keeps increasing, a surgical procedure needs to be performed by a urologist.
In adults, hydrocele is gone in 6 months. You may only need a surgical if it is paining or it is communicating hydrocele that may lead to hernias.
Surgery:
The surgical procedure will remove hydrocele under the influence of anesthesia. Generally, you will be discharged the same day. A small incision is made on the scrotum and hydrocele is removed. A large dressing is applied at the location of the incision. Depending on the size and location of hydrocele, the doctor may drain it for few days through a tube.
Sometimes, hydrocele can reoccur, so it is advised to keep regular checking up with the doctor.
Needle Aspiration:
A long needle can be used to drain hydrocele. The needle is inserted into the scrotum and draws fluid out. Some drugs can be administered to stop reoccurring of Hydrocele. Needle aspiration is performed on males who have a complication in the surgical procedure.
