Hydrocele testis

Hydrocele testis is a condition characterized by a fluid-filled sac around a testicle, which causes swelling in the scrotum. It is most common in newborns and usually disappears without treatment by age 1. Older boys and adult men can develop a hydrocele due to inflammation or injury within the scrotum.

Causes

A hydrocele can develop before birth. Normally, the testicles descend from the developing baby's abdominal cavity into the scrotum. A sac accompanies each testicle, allowing fluid to surround the testicles. In most cases, each sac closes and the fluid is absorbed. However, if the fluid remains after the sac closes, the condition is known as a noncommunicating hydrocele. If the sac closes and fluid can't be absorbed, a communicating hydrocele is present.

Symptoms

The most common symptom is a painless swelling of one or both testicles. Men with a hydrocele might experience discomfort from the weight of a swollen scrotum. Pain generally increases with the size of the inflammation. Sometimes, the swollen area might be smaller in the morning and larger later in the day.

Diagnosis

To diagnose a hydrocele, your doctor will perform a physical examination. If you have a hydrocele, your scrotum will be illuminated by the light. This is a sign that there's fluid in the scrotum. If fluid isn't present, the light won't be able to pass through the scrotum.

Treatment

Hydroceles aren't usually dangerous and are treated only when they cause discomfort or embarrassment, or they decrease blood supply to the penis (rare). Treatment might not be needed if a hydrocele doesn't change in size or gets smaller as the body reabsorbs the fluid.

See also

• Testicle
• Scrotum
• Inflammation

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