Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffA hydrocele is a fluid-filled sac surrounding a testicle that results in swelling of the scrotum, the loose bag of skin underneath the penis. Up to 10 percent of male infants have a hydrocele at birth, but most hydroceles disappear without treatment within the first year of life. Additionally, adult men can develop a hydrocele due to inflammation or injury within the scrotum.
Hydroceles usually aren't painful. Typically not harmful, hydroceles may require no treatment. However, if you have scrotal swelling, see your doctor to rule out other causes, such as testicular cancer or other conditions.
- Schneck FX, et al. Abnormalities of the testes and scrotum and their surgical management. In: Wein AJ, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/155313268-8/877525068/1445/130.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50129-1--cesec43_8090. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Zadikoff C. Hydrocele. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/155313268-8/877525068/1701/282.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50011-2--cesec716_6058. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Hydrocele. National Guideline Clearinghouse. http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=12592. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Elder JS. Disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/155313268-8/877525068/1608/1246.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50547-8--cesec20_9837. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Hydroceles and inguinal hernias. American Urological Association. http://www.urologyhealth.org/search/index.cfm?topic=95&search=hydrocele&searchtype=and. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Brenner JS. Causes of painless scrotal swelling in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Ramsook C. Overview of inguinal hernia in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Sandlow JI, et al. Surgery of the scrotum and seminal vesicles. In: Wein AJ, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/155486720-11/877862325/1445/37.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50036-4--cesec31_2562. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Shoemaker MD. Infectious diseases. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/155486720-12/877868200/1481/233.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50024-5--cesec84_956. Accessed Sept. 1, 2009.
- Nippoldt TB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 9, 2009.
