Hydrocoele

A hydrocoele is a collection of fluid that occurs around the testis. In children, this is usually due to a persistent connection between the abdomen and the scrotum. It may be that the swelling gets bigger and smaller, depending on the time of day and whether or not your child is crying. Occasionally hydrocoeles resolve spontaneously but more usually the fluid collection persists and surgery is recommended.

The surgery itself is very similar to that for an inguinal hernia. In adults, there is often not a connection between the abdomen and the scrotum and therefore the surgical approach is slightly different. In adults the operation is performed on the scrotum and not in the groin.