Hydrocil

[Gitti]

My grandson is 14 days old. Everything was perfect at birth.

One morning when he was 5 days old we noticed that one testicle was swollen to about 10 x the size of the other (which is wee small) and the color of the scrotum was purplish in color.

We called the doc and he said it could be a hydrocil (?). A little fluid leaking into the scrotum. But then why is the testicle so swollen?

He said it will reabsorb by itself? How long will that take?

DD is taking him to the ped on Tuesday but I am worried what he might do. Any idea/suggestions/advice?

TIA

[hummingbear]

My son is 4 1/2 and I believe that he has hydrocele that has not resolved. If you search here for hydorcele you will find a few stories but not much. In the little I have uncovered on the internet, I have read that it usually resolves by 18 months and surgery can correct after that. The actual testicle is normal but fluid leaks from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum which makes one side look so much larger than the other. A doctor may shine a light through the scrotum to determine what is going on. I would be concerned that a visit to a doctor may result in retraction (assuming your grandson is intact Sometimes it can cause pain but I am not sure if this is in infancy or not. So from what I have read so far there is nothing to worry about with your grandson.

I'll update if I learn more or can direct you to more information.

[baybee]

The dr's advice is good. This is something I've seen in 2 out of 500 boys. If you want to Google it, it's spelled "hydrocele". With the 2 boys I've seen, the parents did nothing and it all resolved by itself but, I know, it's scary to see the swelling.
Congratulations, Gramma!
Baybee

[hummingbear]

Originally Posted by baybee

The dr's advice is good. This is something I've seen in 2 out of 500 boys. If you want to Google it, it's spelled "hydrocele". With the 2 boys I've seen, the parents did nothing and it all resolved by itself but, I know, it's scary to see the swelling.
Congratulations, Gramma!
Baybee

Baybee, I would love to hear of your experience since I believe that this is what my four year old has. Please pm me.

[Gitti]

Thanks! Now since I know how to spell it I can research it. We know about not retracting and the doc will be warned (again) before we take off his diapers as he was with the first intact grandson (wonder if he remembers since we don't do wbv?).

The Hydrocele is not getting bigger which is a relieve but I don't like it.
...one grandson has an undescended testicle and needed surgery at age 3 and now this! :

But I guess it could be so much worse. He is beautiful in all other ways.

[Dave2GA]

Important

I'm very worried about the purplish color. As I recall usually hydrocoeles just cause scrotal swelling,not color changes. He could have a testicular torsion. That is a real emergency. I'd take him to an Emergency Room at once. It can't hurt and it may save his testicle.

[athansor]

My ds had a hydrocele, and they did an ultrasound when he was about 2 months old on it, and the advice was to just wait it out and see if it resolved. It went away around his first birthday.

[Gitti]

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic256.htm

More than 80% of newborn boys have a patent processus vaginalis, but most close spontaneously within 18 months of age.

We will see what the ped says. I just wanted to prepare dd so she doesn't feel like something has to be done about it right now.

Thanks!

Now how can I change the spelling of it in the title?

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by Dave2GA

I'm very worried about the purplish color. As I recall usually hydrocoeles just cause scrotal swelling,not color changes. He could have a testicular torsion. That is a real emergency. I'd take him to an Emergency Room at once. It can't hurt and it may save his testicle.

I just read your post. DD is going to the ped on Tuesday. So far there is absolutely NO change in size or color. I do think we'll wait. Those guys in the ER wouldn't know anything about that. We'll wait to see the ped.

[Gitti]

Back again. I just read about testicular torsion and it does sound like something that must be treated immedicately.

The thing is he has had the swelling since day 5 and is 16 days old today. He has no pain with it. In the case of tt there would be pain when he is touched. He has absolutely NO pain.

It would be too late now to do anything about that from what I've read. I hope that is not the case but I don't see how it could be....

You've got me worried now.

ETA - he has no fever and I would think in the case of tt he would by now be running a pretty high fever.

[hummingbear]

Easy for a mama or mama of a mama to get worried. I admit, now I am worried too.
Recently I have noticed that one side of my son's scrotum changes in size and sometimes has a bluish hue to it. It has not ever been painful. I don't remember that they were ever different in size when he was a baby. Though sometimes the swelling is distributed so that it does not look like it is on one side only, which it is.

So if it makes you feel any better, my DS's scrotum has a slight bluish color; but I am not certain it is hydrocele that is causing this.

Testicular torsion did not concern me because I remembered from first aid training that this would undoubtedly cause a great deal of pain. But now I wonder if that would be any different for a young child.

Ok now I am on the worrisome see saw with you. Good Luck to you. Maybe you could call the doctor to ease your worries about testicular torsion.

[baybee]

I'm pasting this from another thread because it has a ref. to hydrocele


http://www.drgreene.com/21_1125.html
"Children are not born with trapped penis; circumcision causes it. Routine circumcision of a webbed penis or circumcision when there is significant scrotal swelling (from a hydrocele or hernia) can lead to trapped penis."

[Gitti]

Thanks for the link. I didn't see where they talk about tt or hydrocele but I have to take a closer look.

I just spoke with dd and she said she is going in tomorrow anyway and he's had it now for 10 days whatever it is. It will not get worse overnight. It looks the same, he is not in pain, there is no fever...She is such a very good and levelheaded mom (I love her ).

So, I will post tomorrow as to what the ped said.

I am always so very worried that ped will bring up vaccines (Hep B) at any/all visit(s). Actually that is my biggest concern.

DD will not let him retract the penis, so that's not such a big worry. More tomorrow...

[baybee]

KWYM about worrying about the VAX pressure. I save articles that are anti-vax and regularly mail them out to young moms that I know because I think they need to have constant input against vax in order to combat the "sell job" of the pharma cos. Maybe there's something on the vaccine forum you could send her
to shore her up before the appt tomorrow.

The only thing about hydrocele in that article was just the bit I pasted. I know that no one is suggesting circ'ing him but I thought it was good that they specifically said circ was contra-indicated with hydrocele. Good luck tomorrow and we'll be looking for the update on your dear wee boy.
Baybee

[Gitti]

Just wanted to let everyone know that it is a hydrocele. The discoloring is also normal. His is somewhat bluish, but it can also look greenish.

Nothing to worry about. Nothing will be done until he is at least 1 yr. old.

DD said we'll see about that...

Thanks for all your information. I really appreciated it.

BTW, they did bring up the Hep B vaccine which (of course) he did not get in the hospital. It's awful, you can't even go and see the doc without them peddling some pharma product.

Anyway they asked whether he should have "his Hep B" now or did dd want to wait until she brings him in at his 2 months visit?

DD said, "We'll wait!"

[baybee]

Very good news, thanks for letting us know. And, thanks for being such a stand for your grandson---you're inspiring.
Baybee

[spero]

My DH had surgery for a hydrocele on his 18th birthday. Will they still wait that long to see if it resolves itself?

[wendy1221]

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1119.html

[Gitti]

Wendy, thank you for the link. I've sent it on to dd.

Originally Posted by skellbelle

My DH had surgery for a hydrocele on his 18th birthday. Will they still wait that long to see if it resolves itself?

I doubt that! Let's hope it resolves itself. We'll cross all bridges as they come and not before.