Causes and treatment of dropsy testis( hydrocele)

The hydrocele ( the second and more common name of the disease - edema of the testicles) is a pathological condition in which excess fluid accumulates inside the membranes of one or both of the testes. This causes a swelling of the inguinal area and a pronounced increase in the size of the scrotum.

The dropsy is not one of life-threatening conditions, but, given certain complications and negative consequences, it needs adequate treatment. The pathology is treated by a urologist.

Fig.1 - Norm and pathology of testicles.

There is an established classification of dropsy, according to which the disease has two forms:

• primary( idiopathic);
• secondary( reactive).

In the first case, pathology develops on the background of complete well-being, for no reason. In the second case, the accumulation of fluid inside the testicles is preceded by the inflammatory process of the membranes or the transferred lesions.

Why is it necessary to treat testicular dropsy?

The testicle should be treated for several reasons: the presence of fluid accumulation inside the body shells prevents normal sperm production. The same reason over time affects the overall hormonal background of the man. If there is an imbalance, the probability of fertilization of the egg significantly decreases, which leads to infertility. Therefore, we need to take our health as responsibly as possible.

The main effects of dropsy are infertility and decreased sex hormones.

Symptoms of pathology are quite obvious, it is impossible to ignore them. The signs of hydrocele will be more pronounced if there is a relapse of the condition or secondary infection. The manifestations of dropsy are reduced to phenomena, among which:

1. Hyperthermic syndrome. There is an increase in the overall body temperature, the level may fluctuate.
2. Dyspeptic disorders. Develops nausea, a fit of vomiting. Chills on the background of temperature increase.
3. Redness of the skin of the scrotum is observed.
4. Patient is troubled by pain when walking.

Simultaneously, there is a violation of the process of urination: the act is accompanied by severe soreness, in certain cases, the urine is delayed in the man.

Reasons for

The development of a dropsy of the egg acquired form determines one or several factors simultaneously:

• Presence of untreated venereal infections. Especially often in urological practice, the relationship between hydrocele and chlamydia is traced. When a man confirms the fact of gonorrhea, the disease can also accompany the symptoms of dropsy.
• Inflammatory processes in the testicle.
• 

  Infectious inflammatory processes lead to hydrocele.

  Mechanical damage. Common injuries to the scrotum include a severe stroke, riding a bicycle.

• Disturbance of the physiological process of lymph drainage, which can occur both independently and due to the intervention of an insufficiently experienced surgeon. Most often such an outcome is observed after the operation on varicocele. There is a threat of damage to the pelvic and inguinal lymph nodes.
• The development of heart failure: hydrocele in a patient is due only to the severe form of the disease.
• Postponed radiotherapy.
• Edema after varicocele.
• Acts as a negative outcome of surgery for correcting the existing inguinal hernia.
• Heavy lifting, sports activities associated with heavy weight manipulation( weightlifting).

Diagnosis

Diagnosis may require ultrasound of the testicles.

Put a preliminary diagnosis of hydrocele - it's simple enough, because the main symptoms are obvious. It is enough for the doctor to visually inspect the affected area and compare his data with the patient's complaints about discomfort inside the scrotum, pronounced edema of this area and fluctuations in body temperature. An anamnesis is also taken into account - it is specified whether the pathology of the injury preceded the development of the patient, whether the patient is in a state of undergoing a therapeutic course relative to venereal infections.

In newborn infants, dropsy is detected by parents during bathing or changing clothes.

An auxiliary test is an ultrasound of the testicle, during which it is possible to identify the inguinal hernia. Laboratory diagnostics includes the analysis of urine and blood for biochemical and clinical analysis.

Treatment of

Types of Operations

There are three types of surgical intervention in this case:

• Ross operation. The main indication is hydrocele, reported with inguinal hernia.
• The Bergman operation and the Winckelmann method. Both interventions are performed with isolated hydrocele and lymphocele( a condition characterized by compression of the lymph nodes).

The only effective method of treatment of dropsy is operation.

On the eve of the operation with the patient, not only the surgeon but also the anesthesiologist is talking. Specifics of the state of health, the tolerability of various medications are specified, information on the presence of chronic concomitant diseases is collected. If in the previous decade local anesthesia was used to provide anesthesia during the operation, currently, general anesthesia is the preferred option in urological practice. The patient is not concerned with the type of blood, instruments, doctors, so the surgeon can work extremely accurately and accurately - this operation especially requires very careful execution of all actions.

After making sure that the anesthesia worked and the patient fell asleep, the surgeon performs a small incision in the inguinal area, visualizing the vas deferens. Then the doctor separates the vaginal process from the remaining segments of the spermatic cord, binds and excises it. This occurs from the inside of the groin canal. Inside the shell of the testicle itself, the surgeon leaves a hole for the subsequent outflow of the pathological fluid. Further, the surgical wound is sutured, on top of it, on the seam, a sterile dressing material is applied.

The duration of the operation does not exceed 1 hour. The specialist should have the necessary skills and practice to conduct such a serious operation in order to avoid postoperative complications.

Possible complications of

After operation, recurrence of dropsy is possible.

If hydrops of large size - this will affect not only the state of the potency of men, but also reduce its fertility, because the testicles involved in the production of semen and its storage are inadequate. After surgery, the following complications may develop:

• repeated testis edema;
• threat of infertility;
• reproductive system defect;
• atrophic changes in the testicle;
• intense pain after anesthesia has departed, localizing in the area of ​​the wound and requiring the introduction of analgesics.

Compliance with the technique of surgery can not guarantee the absence of such phenomena as pain: contrary to popular belief, this sign does not indicate incompetence, as well as low surgical abilities of the doctor and refers to a normal situation.

How and how much is the recovery period?

In the first few days, the wound is healed, the testicle is restored after the removal of an additional watery layer. During this period, the patient is administered with a certain degree of systematic analgesics( the schedule is set by the doctor depending on the age and weight of the patient).

If the patient is a student, the physician prescribes the exemption from physical education. Throughout the stay in the hospital, the patient is dressed. Complete recovery and healing of the wound occurs in a month( on average).

Forecast of

The transferred hydrocele, as well as the operation concerning this disease, will not affect the subsequent life of a man if in the postoperative period he will follow all the doctor's recommendations. In general, the outlook is favorable.

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