Hydrocele

A hydrocele is a collection of fluid in the scrotum, the sac that holds the testicle. Your child's scrotum may look larger on one side or may appear very swollen. This is caused by a build-up of fluid. This build-up of fluid occurs fairly frequently in male newborns. Usually the fluid will be absorbed by the body during the first year of life.

Sometimes the hydrocele is connected by an open channel to the belly. This open channel allows fluid to continue to flow into the scrotum. This type of hydrocele needs to be fixed with an operation. If your baby is older than 1 year and still has a large hydrocele, or if your doctor has told you that your baby has a communicating hydrocele or an inguinal hernia, your baby will need an operation.

The surgery to fix a hydrocele is a minor procedure that is done in day surgery and takes about 1 and 1/2 hours. Your child will not need to stay overnight at the hospital. Your child will be given general anaesthesia and will be asleep for the procedure. A small cut is made in your baby's groin area and the doctor closes the open channel.

Your doctor may want to look at the other scrotal channel to see if it has closed properly. This can usually be done with a laparoscope, a telescope-like instrument. Your doctor will discuss this with you before the operation. Once your child is awake and able to drink fluids, he can go home.

• Care of incision

  After surgery, your child will have a small incision in the groin on the side(s) operated on. The incision was closed under the skin using stitches that dissolve on their own and don't need to be removed. On the skin there are strips of tape or skin glue to help the skin heal smoothly with minimal scarring. These will peel off in 5 to 10 days. Don't pull them off.

  There may be bruising in the groin around the incision and bruising and swelling in the scrotum. This is normal and will go away in 1 to 2 weeks. The incision does not require any special care. You may want to avoid clothing that fits snugly over this area. You can use a small gauze bandage to protect the incision from being irritated by clothes if that is more comfortable.

• Pain control

  Your child may need medicine the first few days after surgery for pain control.

• Activity

  Children will limit their activity if they are uncomfortable. Your child may resume his normal activities whenever he feels ready. School-age children may miss 3 to 4 days of school. Your child should not ride on straddle toys or bicycles for a week. Rough play should also be avoided for several days.

• Bathing

  Your child may bathe after 48 hours. Baths help the area heal and make the sore area feel better.

• Diet

  Your child may eat what he wants. Encourage your child to drink fluids.

Call your doctor if:

• your child has pain that is not controlled by pain medicines
• your child has a fever greater than 38.3°C (101°F)
• your child has any bleeding from the wound not stopped by 5 minutes of direct pressure
• your child has pus draining from the wound or a large red area around the wound
• your child has not urinated in a 12-hour period

	INCISION A cut made in the skin.

	GROIN The area at the top of the thighs where the legs join the body.

	FEVER A rise in body temperature above normal. "Normal" depends on how you measure your child's body temperature. If you measure by rectum (bum) or by ear, fever means a temperature over 38°C (100.4°F). If you measure by mouth, fever means a temperature over 37.5°C (99.5°F). If you measure in the armpit, fever means a temperature over 37.3°C (99.1°F).