Hydrocele Treatment, Causes and Symptoms

Hydrocele is a common health problem in newborns and young children, known as water hernia. Hydrocele in men is an uncomfortable condition manifested by swelling around the testicles or in the groin. In this article, we sought answers to the questions of what hydrocele is, what causes it and how it is treated.

What is Hydrocele?

Hydrocele is derived from the Greek words hydro meaning water and cele meaning expansion; It is a male disease defined as water hernia. Hydrocele, which occurs with the formation of swelling in the testicles or groin, is a problem generally seen in young children and infants.

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It does not occur with pain, but it is disturbing in terms of appearance. The development of hydrocele in newborns can disappear in about 2 years and does not cause a problem again, in some cases it can also be observed in adults.

In the hydrocele problem, the thin membranes around the testicles collect fluid and swelling occurs in the scrotum. Under normal conditions, there is approximately 0.5 to 1 milliliter of fluid between the testis and the membrane, and this fluid provides the necessary lubricity-mobility to the organ. In the case of hydrocele, the amount of fluid can go up to 200 milliliters, which causes an excessive increase in tissue volume. It is normal for hydrocele, which is common in newborns, to continue until 1 year of age. However, the development of hydrocele in children may be due to injury or various problems (ovarian inflammation).

What are the Symptoms of Hydrocele?

A hydrocele is a problem that usually presents with more than normal swelling in one or both testicles. In some cases, discomfort may also be felt in the scrotum. Generally, the level of inflammation is directly proportional to the pain, and as the side inflammation increases, the tissue volume also increases. In some patients, the swelling in the area may be less during the day and more at night. This situation varies from person to person. However, the distinguishing symptom of the disease is swelling in the testicles.

What Causes Hydrocele?

Hydrocele observed in newborns and children is usually caused by genetic factors. In an unborn baby, a natural sac forms around the testicles. By closing this sac on its own, the baby absorbs the excess fluid from his body.

However, this situation does not continue in the same way in babies with hydrocele and more than normal growth is observed in the organ. Failure of the sac around the testicles to close causes the fluid in the abdomen to flow from the sac. This develops with swelling due to excessive fluid increase in the testicles and around the testicles.

In some cases, if the opening around the vesicle is large, overflow may be observed in the organs as well as the fluid, resulting in a hernia. The incidence of hydrocele in newborn babies is approximately 6%.

Types of Hydrocele

Hydrocele caused by congenital factors is divided into 2 types:

Relationship Hydrocele: This hydrocele is called communicating and is caused by the completely open peritoneum that connects to the testicles. There is also an accompanying inguinal hernia (inguinal hernia)

Unrelated Hydrocele: In this type of hydrocele, the membrane on the abdomen is closed abnormally and the intra-abdominal fluid is trapped in the scrotum.

Hydrocele usually occurs at birth and disappears over time without treatment. However, there is a possibility of recurrence in men who had hydrocele as an infant. The main risk factors for hydrocele are:

Scrotal injuries (injury, impact, accident)
Sexual infections
Congestion in fluid and sperm

Hydrocele Treatment Methods

Hydrocele development in newborn babies is a very common condition. However, in the case of hydrocele that does not resolve spontaneously within 1 or maximum 2 years, additional treatment methods should be sought. For this, first of all, a pediatrician and urologist should be consulted, and a coordinated diagnosis and treatment method should be developed. In the case of hydrocele observed in adults, it is necessary to consult a specialist urologist without wasting time.

Hydrocele tissue usually disappears within 6 months without treatment. However, surgical intervention is required in hydrocele structures that do not disappear. Hydrocele surgery should be applied to remove the hydrocele structure from the body, which causes more serious problems such as hernia over time.

This situation is applied under anesthesia, so the patient should not have a health problem that prevents anesthesia. Hydrocele surgery, which is completed in a short time, usually does not require hospitalization and the patient is discharged shortly after the operation. Therefore, the time to return to daily life is very short. However, regular cleaning of the area, control with dressing and drug use increase the speed of recovery.

In patients who cannot have surgery, another method called needle aspiration can be applied. In this method, the excess fluid accumulated in the organ is drained with the help of a needle.

For this, a needle is inserted into the pouch and the fluid is drained out of the body. At the same time, a special liquid is injected into the sacs to prevent fluid accumulation again. Among the most common side effects of this method are local pain and inflammation.

In summary, hydrocele is an uneventful disease in terms of both treatment and post-treatment recovery. For this reason, with the emergence of hydrocele symptoms, a specialist doctor should be consulted and one of the effective treatment methods should be started.

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