Diseases

Hydrocele

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A hydrocele (hi-droe-seel) is a type of swelling in the scrotum that occurs when fluid collects in the thin sheath surrounding a testicle. Hydrocele is 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.

SYMPTOMS

Usually, the only indication of a hydrocele is a painless swelling of one or both testicles.
Adult men with a hydrocele might experience discomfort from the heaviness 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.

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. Usually, each sac closes and the fluid is absorbed.
Sometimes, the fluid remains after the sac closes (noncommunicating hydrocele). The fluid is usually absorbed gradually within the first year of life. But occasionally, the sac remains open (communicating hydrocele). The sac can change size or if the scrotal sac is compressed, fluid can flow back into the abdomen. Communicating hydroceles are often associated with inguinal hernia.