Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
A hydrocele is a fluid-filled sack along the spermatic cord within the
Alternative Names
Processus vaginalis; Patent processus vaginalis
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Hydroceles are common in newborn infants.
During normal development, the testicles descend down a tube from the abdomen into the scrotum. Hydroceles result when this tube fails to close. Fluid drains from the abdomen through the open tube. The fluid builds up in the scrotum, where it becomes trapped. This causes the scrotum to become swollen.
Hydroceles normally go away a few months after birth, but their appearance may worry new parents. Occasionally, a hydrocele may be associated with an
Hydroceles may also be caused by inflammation or injury of the testicle or epididymis, or by fluid or blood blockage within the spermatic cord. This type of hydrocele is more common in older men.
Review Date: 12/15/2010
Reviewed By: Erik T. Goluboff, MD, Professor, Department of Urology, College of
Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY. Review
provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David
Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
