A hydrocele is the accumulation of fluid around a testicle. The fluid is secreted from a residual piece of the inner abdominal wall lining called peritoneum. This layer of peritoneum around the testis is called tunica vaginalis.
What Causes A Hydrocele?
The causes of hydrocele could be:
Primary hydrocele
when there is defective absorption of fluid by the tunica vaginalis
Secondary Hydrocele
where there is excessive production of fluid within the sac as a result of other conditions such as:
Trauma
Infection
Cancer of the testis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by:
Examining the scrotum. On examination there is a soft and non-tender swelling. The testis itself may not be felt.
Ultrasound scan of the scrotum can confirm the hydrocele.
Different surgical procedures can be done but the most common is called Jaboulay’s procedure. This is where the hydrocele fluid is drained and the tunica vaginalis is wrapped around the spermatic cord to stop recurrence of the hydrocele.
To find out more about Repair of Hydrocele Click Here
This mainly involves aspiration of the hydrocele fluid and injecting a sclerosing agent to stop the fluid re-accumulating. However, despite using the sclerosing agent the fluid does re-accumulate regularly and hence is not an effective form of treatment.