Section: Urology Curriculum: Curriculum, page 2
Definition
- Serous fluid around testicle or cord
- Transilluminates on ultrasound
- Don’t operate until at least 2 years old
Types
- Communicating
- Fluid from intra-abdominal compartment
- Fluctuant lump, on examination you can usually feel the tract
- Basically a small IH in which fluid but not structures traverse a patent processus vaginalis
- Therefore always repair
- Non-communicating
- Tunica vaginalis is a remnant piece of peritoneum and, as such, can produce serous fluid
- Can observe
- Indications for repair
- Fails to resolve in 3 months
- Increasing in size
- Tense
- Symptomatic
- Can be associated with trauma, tumour, infection, and ischaemia
- Inguinal incision
- Ligate processus vaginalis ± excise sac (or leave widely open)
Encysted Hydrocele of the Cord
- Clinical
- May appear suddenly
- Swelling is not tender
- Cyst moves readily with the cord
- No abdominal signs & sx
