Hydrocele Overview
Learn About Hydrocele
A hydrocele is a fluid-filled sac in the scrotum.
Processus vaginalis; Patent processus vaginalis
Hydroceles are common in newborn infants.
During a baby's development in the womb, the testicles descend from the abdomen through a tube into the scrotum. Hydroceles occur when this tube does not close after the testicle moves through it. Fluid drains from the abdomen through the open tube and gets trapped in the scrotum. This causes the scrotum to swell.
Most hydroceles go away a few months after birth. Sometimes, a hydrocele may occur with an inguinal hernia.
Hydroceles may also be caused by:
- Buildup of the normal fluid around the testicle. This may occur because the body makes too much of the fluid or it does not drain well. (This type of hydrocele is more common in older men.)
- Swelling or injury of the testicle or epididymis.
The main symptom is a painless, round-oval shaped swollen scrotum, which feels like a water balloon. A hydrocele may occur on one or both sides. However, the right side is more commonly involved.
Hydroceles are not harmful most of the time. They are treated only when they cause infection or discomfort.
Hydroceles from an inguinal hernia should be fixed with surgery as soon as possible. Hydroceles that do not go away on their own after a few months may need surgery. A surgical procedure called a hydrocelectomy (removal of sac lining) is often done to correct the problem. Needle drainage is an option, but the fluid will come back.
Central Dupage Physician Group
Mary Keen is a Physiatrist and a Pediatrics provider in Wheaton, Illinois. Dr. Keen and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hydrocele. Her top areas of expertise are Hydrocele, Cerebral Palsy, Myelomeningocele, and Moebius Syndrome. Dr. Keen is currently accepting new patients.
Central Dupage Physician Group
Darby Murphy is an Obstetrics and Gynecologist in Wheaton, Illinois. Dr. Murphy and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hydrocele. Her top areas of expertise are Hydrocele, Female Genital Sores, Vitiligo, and Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods. Dr. Murphy is currently accepting new patients.
Central Dupage Physician Group
Carmelita Torres is an Obstetrics and Gynecologist in Wheaton, Illinois. Dr. Torres and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Hydrocele. Her top areas of expertise are Endometritis, Female Genital Sores, Vitiligo, and Human Papillomavirus Infection. Dr. Torres is currently accepting new patients.
Simple hydroceles in children often go away without surgery. In adults, hydroceles usually do not go away on their own. If surgery is needed, it is an easy procedure with very good outcomes. After surgery, a hydrocele can sometimes reoccur.
Risks from hydrocele surgery may include:
- Blood clots
- Infection
- Injury to the scrotum
- Loss of the testicle
- Long-term (chronic) pain
- Continuous swelling
Contact your provider if you have symptoms of hydrocele. It is important to rule out other causes of a testicular lump.
Pain in the scrotum or testicles is an emergency. If you have pain and your scrotum is enlarged, seek medical help right away to prevent the loss of the testicle.
Summary: Scrotal, urologic surgery has traditionally been conducted in the hospital setting, typically with the use of sedation, spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia. There has been a recent push to move certain scrotal urologic surgeries out of the hospital operating room into a ambulatory, outpatient basis with recent literature demonstrating this in many centers. The use of local anesthesia alone pos...
Published Date: July 01, 2023
Published By: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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