- Hydrocele testis
Infobox_Disease
Name = PAGENAME
Caption = The righttestis , exposed by laying open thetunica vaginalis . (Tunica vaginalis is labeled at upper right.)
DiseasesDB = 6137
ICD10 = ICD10|N|43|0|n|40-ICD10|N|43|3|n|40
ICD9 = ICD9|603
ICDO =
OMIM =
MedlinePlus =
eMedicineSubj = emerg
eMedicineTopic = 256
eMedicine_mult = eMedicine2|med|2778 | MeshID = D006848
A hydrocele testis is an accumulation of clear fluid in thetunica vaginalis , the most internal of membranes containing atesticle . A primary hydrocele causes a painless enlargement in the scrotum on the affected side and is thought to be due to the defective absorption of fluid secreted between the two layers of the tunica vaginalis (investing membrane). A secondary hydrocele is secondary to either inflammation or a neoplasm in the testis.A
hydrocele usually occurs on one side. The accumulation can be a marker ofphysical trauma ,infection ortumor , but the cause is generally unknown.ymptoms
A hydrocele feels like a small fluid filled balloon inside the
scrotum . It is smooth, and is mainly in front of one of the testes. Hydroceles vary greatly in size. Hydroceles are normally painless and harmless. Large hydroceles cause discomfort because of their size. As the fluid of a hydrocele is transparent, light shone through a hydrocelic region will be visible from the other side.Symptoms of a hydrocele can easily be distinguished from
testicular cancer , as a hydrocele is soft and fluidy, where a testicular cancer feels hard and rough.Through diagnostic
ultrasound the accumulation of fluids can be diagnosed correctly.Treatment
The accumulation should generally be removed surgically. The procedure is called hydrocelectomy, the tunica vaginalis is excised, the fluid drained, and the edges of the tunica are sutured to prevent the reaccumulation of fluid.
If the hydrocele is not surgically removed, it may continue to grow. The hydrocele fluid can be aspirated, the procedure is less invasive but recurrence rates are high. [Fracchia JA, Armenakas NA, Kohan AD(1998). Cost-effective hydrocele ablation. "J Urol" 159: 864-7. PMID 9474170.] Sclerotherapy, the injection of a solution following aspiration of the hydrocele fluid may increase success rates. [Beiko DT, Kim D, Morales A(2003). Aspiration and sclerotherapy versus hydrocelectomy for treatment of hydroceles. "Urology" 61: 708-12. PMID 12670550.] In many patients, the procedure of
aspiration andsclerotherapy is repeated as the hydrocele recurrs. [Shan CJ, Lucon AM, Arap S.(2003). A Comparative study of sclerotherapy with phenol and surgical treatment for hydrocele. "J Urol" 169: 1056-9. PMID 12576845.]Fertility
A hydrocele testis is not generally thought to affect fertility. However, it may be indicative of other factors that may affect fertility.
Footnotes
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