The answer is D: ONE YEAR
The newborn baby boy in this vignette was found to have a hydrocele. Most hydroceles will resolve within the first 12 months of life and do not need to be reassessed unless present after 1 year
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Pearls
A Hydrocele is a collection of fluid around the testicle or along the spermatic cord leading to a non-tender fluid-filled (cystic) mass.
- This occurs when lymphatic drainage from the scrotum is impaired, leading to swelling and enlargement.
- Hydrocele is common in newborns and typically disappears without treatment during the first year of life. However, treatment is indicated if the mass becomes large and uncomfortable.
Diagnosis
Scrotal ultrasound can be used in the diagnosis of both hydrocele and varicocele
- The hydrocele can be visualized with transillumination Tumor or varicocele which both do not transilluminate
Treatment
Treatment consists of needle aspiration or surgery
- In infants most hydroceles will usually close within the 1’st year of life may require elective repair as clinically indicated
- Patients will require scrotal support after treatment, and they should be monitored for bleeding or infection at the site after intervention.
