Hydrocele, or dropsy of the testicles, is quite common in newborns, about one in ten babies. In this case, the disease has a different level of severity. Dropsy in medicine is the accumulation of serous physiological fluid between the membranes of the testicle, leading to an increase in the scrotum.
Description
Outwardly, this pathology resembles dropsy after surgery in adults. Often, hydrocele in newborns is able to go away on its own, during the first year after the birth of a child, but there are also cases when this disease needs special treatment. In general, it does not threaten the life of the baby, but it is unpleasant because complications may arise due to this disease.
Reasons for appearance
The main causes of dropsy of the testicle in a newborn must be sought in the specifics of the course of a woman's pregnancy, when the embryo's testicles descend to the scrotum from the abdomen.
All reasons are conditionally divided into twotype:
- Inborn. They are caused by the threat of miscarriage, pregnancy with pathologies, hereditary predisposition, smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy, prematurity of the baby.
- Acquired (more common among older children) - testicular disease, pathology of the heart and blood vessels, trauma during childbirth, postoperative or infectious complications.
But the causes of dropsy of the testicles in newborns do not end there. So, you can single out mechanical external factors as a separate item, for example, damage to the scrotum, defects in the wall of the peritoneum, testicular torsion (twisting of the spermatic cord).
It must be remembered that the named pathology in infants is not able to appear due to diapers, regardless of how they are used. For example, many people think that the boy's testicles should be lifted before fastening, but this is a misconception that exists among inexperienced parents.
Signs of illness
During hygiene procedures, it is necessary to be alert if the child, when touching the area of the scrotum, feels anxious or starts to cry. Also, he may experience nausea and chills, the temperature rises. The kid abruptly becomes indifferent to external events and lethargic.
But the main symptoms are enlargement of one or both testicles and swelling in the groin area. During palpation of the testicles, a soft seal is felt, shifting to the side. It usually looks like an hourglass, which indicatesaccumulation of physiological fluid in the seminal canal.
It is important to remember that it is impossible to diagnose this disease on your own, although parents often neglect this advice. At the first symptoms of dropsy, you should immediately consult a doctor to avoid complications in the future.
Diagnosis of pathology in newborns
To make a diagnosis of "dropsy of the testis" in a newborn, it is necessary to differentiate it from a hernia of the groin. So, in the latter case, when the intestinal loop penetrates the scrotum, a characteristic gurgling sound is heard during palpation. A hernia with no symptoms of strangulation slips and is quickly reduced into the groin canal.
Hydrocele is also able to shrink with pressure, but this happens slowly, due to the flow of fluid into the peritoneal cavity. But a non-communicating hydrocele will not shrink with pressure. With dropsy of the spermatic cord, a large fluid accumulation is found at the site of its projection.
Diaphanoscopy
What to do with dropsy of the testicles in newborns? First of all, a correct diagnosis should be made. To do this, diaphanoscopy is performed - transillumination of the testicle by means of a beam of light. For this purpose, special non-heating lamps are used. The transparent liquid has sufficient light permeability, and with the accumulation of serous exudate, the scrotum takes on a characteristic appearance: it is translucent, stained in yellow-red shades due to blood vessels and skin. The hernial sac is denser, so it does nottransmits liquid and light. In addition, transparency is low in purulent inflammation (pyocele) or testicular tumor (hematocele).
To confirm the diagnosis and obtain more accurate information about the condition of the abdominal vaginal process, how communication with the peritoneal cavity occurs, what is the amount of fluid accumulated in the testicular membranes, the patient should undergo an ultrasound examination.
How to treat dropsy?
Treat dropsy of the testicle in a newborn, depending on the nature of the course of the disease, the presence or absence of progress. Methods can be conservative if the pathology is on the decline or is in one phase. If the disease causes certain sensations of discomfort in the newborn, and the doctor fears, then the intervention of the surgeon is required.
Surgery
Treatment of pathology in newborns is carried out in various ways. If the disease worsens over time, surgery is required. There are several varieties of its implementation:
- The first variant of such a manipulation is the Ross operation, which is used for the communicating nature of dropsy.
- Bergman's operation is performed under general anesthesia, it is characterized by excision of the membrane inside the testicle. Drainage is placed, and pressure bandages are applied. This operation is quite serious and is used when the situation is really very dangerous.
- During Lord's operation, a testicle is removed into the wound, and already theresurgeon's manipulations. Performed under local anesthesia.
The most appropriate method of surgical intervention in this case depends on the characteristics of the disease and the results of the tests. It must be said that such a surgical intervention is quite difficult for newborns, and therefore you need to be prepared that in the period after the operation, various kinds of consequences may occur, for example, a violation of the regimen and habitual feeding, as well as weight loss and other unpleasant features.
Conservative ways
Komarovsky, a well-known children's pediatrician, advises the use of conservative treatment for dropsy of the testicle in newborns. Currently, this is quite possible, but for this you need to know exactly which methods can be used at each particular stage.
In this capacity, massage, the use of ointments ("Levomekol" or Vishnevsky's ointment) and other drugs can be used. All this should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. However, conservative treatment also consists in following the regimen, proper nutrition, sufficient exposure to fresh air. The baby may be assigned various kinds of gymnastic manipulations that should be performed. With positive dynamics during a systematic examination by a urologist, it is quite possible that by the age of two the problem will be eliminated.
What other treatment is used for hydrocele in a newborn?
Treatment with folk remedies
With a comprehensive approachto solve the problem, it is imperative to use the methods proposed by traditional medicine. We list the most popular methods that are suitable for use in relation to newborns:
- The first and widespread therapeutic way to get rid of dropsy in newborns is washing the children's genitourinary system with a furatsilin solution. For this purpose, it is required to dilute the drug with water in a ratio of 1: 3, and then rinse the genitals with a cotton pad.
- Another recipe that also has a high degree of impact is bathing a baby in a bath with the addition of a decoction of chamomile or string. This procedure not only benefits the skin by soothing it, but also gives a good sleep and allows you to disinfect the urinary organs, thereby preventing the occurrence of infection.
- Together with milk, you can give one drop of decoction of oak bark, which will contribute to further improvements. Also, baths with the addition of calendula will be of great benefit to the child. This plant is distinguished by its medicinal properties and is quite useful. It is necessary to carefully wipe the baby's genitals before going to bed with a Miramistin solution, after which they should be ventilated. The child should be left without diapers as often as possible, change wet diapers.
Such a simple treatment of dropsy of the testicle in a newborn with folk remedies will make it possible, if not a complete recovery, then at least slow down the disease and create conditions for it, withwhich it will not progress. There are many folk ways and methods, but before using them in relation to the baby, you must definitely consult with the attending specialist.
Possible Complications
If parents recognize and treat dropsy of the testicles in newborns in time, its consequences will not be any serious. But if the visit to the doctor is postponed, then inflammatory processes of varying severity in the genitourinary system may develop. In addition, the scrotum can greatly increase, while the testicle itself decreases several times.
The consequences of surgery to rid children of dropsy can also have various complications. This is mainly for those babies who have a weak immune system, or have a certain disease.
The following complications may occur:
- pain after surgery;
- possibility of infertility;
- mild or pronounced testicular atrophy;
- defects of the reproductive system;
- dropsy returns.
Modern medicine can literally work miracles anyway. If the operation was carried out correctly, then this will in no way affect the future ability of a man to bear children. Postoperative complications are quite rare. It must be remembered that with timely therapy for dropsy, the baby will be he althy, and parents will not have a reason to worry.
Reviews abouthydrocele in newborns
There are numerous reviews of this pathology. Most mothers confirm that everything returns to normal on its own by 12 months. But it is better for everyone to clarify when dropsy of the testicles in newborns passes from their doctor. According to experts, isolated dropsy occurs due to birth trauma, peculiarities of hormonal status and the state of lymph outflow from the scrotum in children 1 year old. Often there is an increase in dropsy, and it becomes tense. In this case, experts recommend a puncture to remove fluid from the membranes of the testicles.
