Hydrocele in Children
By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med.
Hydrocele occurs when there is a collection of fluid inside the scrotum. This causes one of the testicles to look larger than the other. Most often, hydroceles are found in newborn boys. This finding is especially seen in those who are born prematurely. Normally, the testicle in a healthy neonate is found within a closed serous covering called the tunica vaginalis of the scrotum. It is basically a serous pouch that is derived from the peritoneum’s processus vaginalis. The origin of the tunica vaginalis creates a potential space, which under normal circumstances should not communicate with the abdomen’s peritoneal cavity.
Pathophysiology
The testicles are anatomically found just below the kidneys in the peritoneal cavity during fetal development. It is from this location that the testicles descend through the inguinal canal and into their final resting place, the scrotum. During their descent, they are accompanied by the processus vaginalis, which later mostly becomes obliterated in a healthy baby boy and forms a fibrous cord without a lumen. However, the most distal tip of the processus vaginalis remains and forms the serous tunica vaginalis covering the testicles.
Physiologically there should not be any communication between the scrotum and inguinal …show more content…
The first type of hydroceles is a communicating hydrocele. Communicating hydroceles are a direct consequence of the processus vaginalis failing to close. This leads to the continuous drainage of abdominal fluid into the scrotum. These hydroceles are similar to hernias (i.e. protruding segments of bowel). However, unlike the small opening of the processus vaginalis seen in hydroceles, hernias tend to occur with much larger openings. The second type of hydroceles are called simple hydroceles. They are simple, because the processus vaginalis closes, but the extra fluid in the testicles is not absorbed before
By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med.
Hydrocele occurs when there is a collection of fluid inside the scrotum. This causes one of the testicles to look larger than the other. Most often, hydroceles are found in newborn boys. This finding is especially seen in those who are born prematurely. Normally, the testicle in a healthy neonate is found within a closed serous covering called the tunica vaginalis of the scrotum. It is basically a serous pouch that is derived from the peritoneum’s processus vaginalis. The origin of the tunica vaginalis creates a potential space, which under normal circumstances should not communicate with the abdomen’s peritoneal cavity.
Pathophysiology
The testicles are anatomically found just below the kidneys in the peritoneal cavity during fetal development. It is from this location that the testicles descend through the inguinal canal and into their final resting place, the scrotum. During their descent, they are accompanied by the processus vaginalis, which later mostly becomes obliterated in a healthy baby boy and forms a fibrous cord without a lumen. However, the most distal tip of the processus vaginalis remains and forms the serous tunica vaginalis covering the testicles.
Physiologically there should not be any communication between the scrotum and inguinal …show more content…
The first type of hydroceles is a communicating hydrocele. Communicating hydroceles are a direct consequence of the processus vaginalis failing to close. This leads to the continuous drainage of abdominal fluid into the scrotum. These hydroceles are similar to hernias (i.e. protruding segments of bowel). However, unlike the small opening of the processus vaginalis seen in hydroceles, hernias tend to occur with much larger openings. The second type of hydroceles are called simple hydroceles. They are simple, because the processus vaginalis closes, but the extra fluid in the testicles is not absorbed before