Hydrocele Flashcards
What is a hydrocele?
excessive collection of serous fluid within the tunica vaginalis
What are 2 types of hydrocele?
- communicating
2. non-communicating
What is a communicating hydrocele?
Processus vaginaliis OPEN so peritoneal fluid free to flow
What is a non-communicating hydrocele?
Processus vaginaliis CLOSED so more fluid produced by tunica vaginalis than absorbed
What are RF for a hydrocele?
- Male
2. Very common in children in first year of life
What are the RF for a non-communicating hydrocele?
- Inflammation/injury to the scrotum e.g. trauma infection, testicular torsion
- Epididymo-orchitis
- Testicular cancer (can present with hydrocele)
What are RF for communcating hydrocele?
Increased intraperitoneal fluid e.g. ascites
How is a hydrocele related to testicular cancer?
Hydrocele can be a presentation of testicular cancer, just want to be extra careful and rule this out
What is the presentation for hydrocele?
- ASYMPTOMATIC
- Scrotal swelling
- Possible to get above the swelling
- Enlarges following activity e.g. coughing, straining
- transilluminates
What is the defining feature of a hydrocele?
Transilluminates
What investigations are done for a hydrocele?
- Clinical diagnosis
- Urine dip – infection
- USS – exclude tumour/abnormal testis
- Blood – testicular tumour markers
Why can coughing cause hydrocele?
coughing increases intrabdominal pressure, which causes more fluid to go down the tunica vaginallis
What tumour markers do you test for?
- fetoprotein
- b-hcg
- lactate dehydrogenase
What is the management for a hydrocele?
- Observation
2. If it gets too uncomfortable: surgical
