Causes
- Infection in testicles
- Injury to the scrotum
- Inflammation in the scrotum
Symptoms
- Scrotal swelling and inflammation
- Itching
- Heaviness
- Accumulation of fluid in the scrotum
- Pain in the scrotal region
Diagnosis
To diagnose a hydrocele, the doctor performs a physical examination of the patient. If the patient has a hydrocele, his scrotum will be swollen, but he wouldn't have any pain. The doctor may check for tenderness in an enlarged scrotum and shine a light through the scrotum as it allows the doctor to determine if there is fluid in the scrotum or not. The doctor may also apply pressure to the abdomen to check for inguinal hernia, and ask the patient to cough or bear down to check for the same. Blood and urine tests also help to rule out infections such as epididymitis.
Procedure
The surgery of hydrocele is also known as hydrocelectomy. Hydrocelectomy can be done in two ways, the first one being open surgery (open hydrocelectomy) and the second is laser surgery (laser hydrocelectomy). Open hydrocelectomy is a conventional way of treating hydrocele that involves a big incision and stitches as well as inflicts pain and bleeding. The recovery after open hydrocelectomy is also painful and longer. However, laser surgery is considered the best treatment of hydrocele. It's a modern and advanced way of treating hydrocele. This procedure doesn't involve a big incision or stitches and also inflicts no pain or bleeding.