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Hydrocele repair

• Overview
• Recovery
• Risks

Definition:

Hydrocele repair is surgery to correct a birth defect in which there is a passageway between the abdomen and the scrotum . This defect causes fluid to collect around the testicle (a hydrocele ).

Alternative Names:

Hydrocelectomy

Description:

The surgery is done while the patient is under general anesthesia (unconscious and pain-free). The surgeon makes a cut just above the groin and repairs the abnormal opening between the abdominal cavity and scrotum. After the fluid is removed from the scrotum, the wound is closed with stitches. In some cases, the procedure can be done laparoscopically, which involves smaller surgical cuts.

Indications:

Hydroceles frequently go away on their own. They should be repaired when they cause symptoms or if they occur during an inguinal hernia repair.

• Review Date: 10/16/2006
• Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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