What is the main cause of hydrocele?
Hydroceles are very common in newborn males and usually disappear within a year. The most common cause is fluid traveling from the abdomen and collecting in the tissue surrounding one or both testicles. In adult males, swelling in the scrotum has many possible causes, including inflammation from infection or injury.
What are the causes of filariasis?
Filariasis is an infectious tropical disease caused by any one of several thread-like parasitic round worms. The two species of worms most often associated with this disease are Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi. The larval form of the parasite transmits the disease to humans by the bite of a mosquito.
What parasite causes hydrocele?
Lymphatic filariasis is spread from person to person by mosquitoes. People with the disease can suffer from lymphedema and elephantiasis and in men, swelling of the scrotum, called hydrocele. Lymphatic filariasis is a leading cause of permanent disability worldwide.
How does Wuchereria bancrofti cause hydrocele?
The adult worms of Wuchereria bancrofti have a predilection for the intrascrotal lymphatic vessels, and lymphatic obstruction can result in a fluid collection within the tunica vaginalis of the scrotum. Hydrocele is the most common manifestation of chronic W bancrofti infection in males in endemic areas.
What happens if hydrocele is not treated?
A non-communicating hydrocele usually remains the same size or has a very slow growth. If a communicating hydrocele does not go away on its own and is not treated, it can lead to an inguinal hernia. In this condition, part of the intestine or intestinal fat pushes through an opening (inguinal canal) in the groin area.
Can filaria be cured?
Since there is no known vaccine or cure for lymphatic filariasis, the most effective method that exists to control the disease is prevention.
What is filaria treatment?
The main goal of treatment of an infected person is to kill the adult worm. Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), which is both microfilaricidal and active against the adult worm, is the drug of choice for lymphatic filariasis. The late phase of chronic disease is not affected by chemotherapy.
Can hydrocele be transmitted?
This disease is considered hereditary and people think that the diseases get transmitted to the next generation. When their sons suffer from hydrocele, it then becomes increasingly difficult for the parents to obtain spouses for their sons.
Is hydrocele a chronic disease?
Filarial hydroceles can be either acute or chronic. Acute hydroceles present with painful nodules in the scrotal region with or without palpable enlargement of the scrotal sac due to fluid. These are thought to be caused by the death of adult worms and may or may not be related only to treatment.
How is hydrocele surgery done?
Procedure Details
- The surgeon makes a small cut in the scrotum or groin close to the scrotum and drains out the fluid via suction.
- The surgeon also closes the communication to the canal between the abdominal cavity and the scrotum.
- The hydrocele sac is then removed and the incision is closed up.
Should I get my hydrocele removed?
Often a hydrocele will resolve itself without treatment. However, as a hydrocele grows larger, it can cause swelling, pain, and discomfort in the scrotum and may need surgical repair. A hydrocelectomy removes the fluid and shrinks the size of the sac formerly containing the fluid.
What does it mean if you have filarial hydrocele?
Filarial hydrocele is a scrotal swelling resulting from a parasitic infection with Wuchereria bancrofti, endemic to tropical regions around the world. The condition causes physical and mental anguish for males affected, as it can impact their fertility, mobility, and even their ability to earn a living.
Can a bacterial infection cause hydrocele in the scrotum?
Many of these bacterial infections can be prevented with appropriate skin hygiene and care for wounds. Men can develop hydrocele or swelling of the scrotum due to infection with one of the species of parasites that causes LF, specifically W. bancrofti. Filarial infection can also cause tropical pulmonary eosinophilia syndrome.
What are the risk factors for hydrocele development?
Risk factors for developing a hydrocele later in life include: A hydrocele typically isn’t dangerous and usually doesn’t affect fertility. But a hydrocele might be associated with an underlying testicular condition that can cause serious complications, including: Infection or tumor. Either might reduce sperm production or function. Inguinal hernia.
Which is more difficult to excise idiopathic or filarial hydroceles?
Hydrocele is the most common manifestation of chronic W bancrofti infection in males in endemic areas. In females, similar fluid collections can develop along the canal of Nuck. Filarial hydroceles are more difficult to excise surgically than idiopathic hydroceles, because of scarring and fibrosis.