Hydrocele Repair

WHAT IS A HYDROCELE?

A Hydrocele is a collection of fluid around the testicle. Hydroceles are common and are responsible for most painless scrotal swellings. A communicating hydrocele is common in newborns and usually disappears without treatment by age 1. These are congenital and similar to hernias. Older boys and adult men can develop a non-communicating hydrocele due to inflammation or injury within the scrotum. The scrotum appears enlarged with fluid; it may be very tense, usually non-tender and is often, bluish in colour. The right side is more commonly involved.

Hydroceles (non-communicating) may also be caused by:

Hydrocele symptoms include:

WHAT DOES THE SURGERY INVOLVE?

Removal or repair of a fluid sac surrounding your testicle, to prevent further fluid developing. The procedure can be done under either a general anaesthetic or a spinal anaesthetic (where you are unable to feel anything from the waist down). A small incision is made into your scrotum and the fluid is drained away from around your testicle. During the procedure your surgeon will “bunch up” the sac which holds the fluid using absorbable stitches, to prevent the fluid form re-forming.

Hydrocele Repair
Image from www.baus.org.uk

Sometimes, we will remove the majority of this sac as well. Your testicle will always feel bulkier than the other, unaffected testicle. The wound is then closed with dissolvable stitches which will disappear after 2-3 weeks.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN I GET HOME?

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS?

NOTIFY GM UROLOGY or your GP if you experience any of the following:

FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENT

Your will generally have a post-operative appointment approximately 6 weeks after your surgery (made prior to the operation). If an appointment time is not given to you on discharge from hospital, you will need to phone GM Urology to make an appointment.
If you have any queries please contact GM Urology on 03 5201 7000 during business hours OR leave a message on the After Hours Urology Paging Service 03 9387 1000