Testicular dropsy in a child

The treatment of genital diseases in boys is always quite intimate for any parents. In some cases, dads and moms are so confused that they do not know who to turn to for help.

What it is?

The testicles are paired genitals that are located in the scrotum. Under the influence of a number of factors, fluid accumulates in it. This leads to the development of dropsy of the testicular membranes. This swelling is also called a hydrocele. In boys, this pathology occurs quite often.

In pediatric andrology, both dropsy of the right testicle and the left one are described. The process is often two-way. Parents will be able to notice the trouble even on their own. Usually, the baby's scrotum swells or its noticeable bulging is visible... These cases require immediate medical advice.

According to statistics, the disease occurs in every tenth baby. In 9-10% of children, edema of the testicular membranes occurs in conjunction with other diseases of the intimate organs at the same time. These include: inguinal hernia, dropsy of the spermatic cord of the gland, as well as a violation of the outflow of lymph from its membranes.

Causes and consequences

In boys, this disease is in most cases congenital. Usually the disease manifests itself in 1-2 years.

Some cases, proceeding with rather blurred symptoms, can be detected in a child only at the age of 3 years. In complex clinical cases, an additional examination of the baby is required using modern instrumental diagnostic methods.

The following conditions lead to the development of this condition in boys:

Too low birth weight. Babies who are born earlier for some reason are often more prone to developing dropsy. This is due to the presence of anatomical defects in the structure of the genital organs. It takes a long time for the testicles to sink into the groin. When this period is shortened, the baby often has various defects in the structure of the genitals.

Birth trauma. Violation of the delivery can lead to various injuries to the baby. If the fetus is in breech presentation, as well as when twins are born naturally, various injuries often occur, including those of the genitals. Also, a similar situation occurs in miniature mothers who have given birth to a too large baby.
Infectious diseases. Viruses and bacteria cross the placental barrier very easily. Getting into the fetus at the stage of development of the genitals, they cause various structural anomalies in the baby. Doctors consider the first and third trimesters to be the most dangerous period of pregnancy, if possible.

Swelling of nearby organs... The fluid that is formed in various diseases can easily flow from one anatomical zone to another and reach the scrotum. This feature is due to child anatomy. Pathologies of adjacent organs (often of the lower extremities) lead to the development of scrotal edema in the child, leading to dropsy of the testicles.

Development of cardiovascular insufficiency... With this condition, the tendency to form various edema increases. They are usually localized on the legs and in the pelvic region. Scrotal edema can even occur in a child with a congenital heart defect. Usually, this combination indicates a strong problem in the child's body.
Congenital developmental defects... Often found in babies born prematurely. Parents notice unfavorable symptoms already in the first year of a child's life. In full-term babies, the duct connecting the peritoneum and the scrotum becomes overgrown.

Premature babies often face problems resulting from overgrowth disorders.

Consequences of viral infections... Children's andrologists note the development of acquired forms of diseases after the flu. Viruses have a strong negative effect on many internal organs, including the intimate zone. Pathology, proceeding in a rather severe form and hydrocephalus, can cause severe edema in the scrotum in a child.

The consequences of trauma. Damage to the vulva can cause inflammation and swelling of the testicular membranes. This condition is more often recorded in boys aged 12-14 years. The damage contributes to the rapid development of adverse symptoms. In some cases, surgical treatment is required.
Diseases of the urinary tract... The organs of the genitourinary system are quite close to each other. This contributes to the rapid spread of the infection. Often, chronic pyelonephritis or cystitis leads to the development of inflammation in the intimate area in boys. In babies of the first year of life, this condition is recorded more often.

Dropsy of the testicles is very dangerous. You can not neglect and not notice the first signs of this disease! This condition requires the appointment of compulsory treatment. If the therapy of the disease was delayed for some reason, then this can lead to serious complications in the boy in the future.

The most common consequences are:

Necrosis (death) of tissues of the scrotum and testicles... Prolonged squeezing leads to a violation of the blood supply and innervation of the intimate organs. Ultimately, this contributes to the development of persistent hypoxia (oxygen starvation). The chronic process is accompanied by the development of severe damage and death of genital cells.
Reproductive dysfunction. With the chronicity of the process, a violation of the formation of sperm occurs. According to statistics, 20% of men with poorly treated dropsy of the testicles in childhood develop infertility. Treatment of this condition at an older age is rather problematic. In some cases, a man's reproductive function is reduced almost completely.

Compression of organs located nearby. The intestines are most often damaged in this condition. This leads to the appearance of various digestive problems. The most common manifestation is stool disturbance. Babies with dropsy of the testicles also suffer from constipation or have an increased tendency to them.
The development of combined diseases of the genitourinary sphere. Severe swelling in the scrotum also leads to squeezing and disruption of the other genitals.

A long-term condition contributes to the occurrence of lymphocele in the baby. With this pathology, the outflow of lymph from the area of intimate organs is significantly impaired.

Kinds

There are several variants of dropsy of the testicles in boys. Their development is caused by the influence of various causal factors. This classification has been used in pediatric andrology for many years. It was compiled taking into account the anatomical defects that arise in different types of the disease.

This pathology can be:

Communicating. This form of the disease is congenital. The condition is characterized by the presence of a duct between the scrotum and the peritoneum. As a result, free liquid can easily reach the intimate area. Its accumulation leads to the development of dropsy of the membranes of the testicles.
Isolated. In this case, the pathological fluid is formed in the scrotum itself or between the sheets of the membranes of the testicles, and not in the abdominal cavity. Most often, this condition contributes to the development of a one-sided process. Adverse symptoms occur on one side only.

When establishing and formulating a diagnosis, it is very important to indicate when this pathology arose.

When anatomical defects appear immediately after birth, they speak of a congenital variant. If the edema of the scrotum appeared as a result of exposure to various injuries and injuries, as well as as a consequence of various infectious diseases, then they talk about the acquired variant.

Signs

The severity of the clinical manifestations of this condition can be different. This depends on many different aggravating reasons. These include: the child's age, the presence of concomitant diseases, the level of immunity and even social living conditions. A mild course of the disease is rather difficult to diagnose at home. Often parents "miss" the first signs of the disease in their baby.

The most common symptoms include:

Discoloration of the skin in the scrotum... It turns red. The skin is hot to the touch. Usually this symptom manifests itself well in babies in the first years of life. With traumatic injuries on the scrotum, various bruises or hematomas can be seen, which are dark blue in color.
Enlargement of the scrotum. She gets tense. In a bilateral process, the scrotum increases several times relative to the norm. If only one testicle is damaged, then asymmetry is visually visible.

Soreness or tenderness to palpation. Inflammation leads to the fact that any touch of the scrotum causes an increase in pain. Usually, parents find this manifestation during hygiene procedures with a baby.
Sensitivity while urinating. In some cases, when dropsy is combined with diseases of the urinary system, the child also has various urinary disorders. The kid often asks to use the toilet. Some urges are accompanied by an increase in pain syndrome.

Intoxication symptoms. Some variants of the disease are accompanied by an increase in body temperature up to 37-38 degrees. At the height of hyperthermia, fever may occur or chills may appear. A chronic inflammatory process in the intimate organs leads to the appearance of signs of a persistent increase in temperature in the baby.
Behavior change. Kids become more moody, they may whine. With severe pain syndrome - even cry. Children of the first years of life are more likely to ask for hands. The child often has sleep disturbances. Difficulty falling asleep or waking up repeatedly during the night is usually noted.

Delayed urine output... This symptom develops with a rather severe and advanced course of the disease. In this case, the excretion of urine from the bladder is impaired. The portions become small in size. In this case, the parameters of the general analysis of urine, as a rule, do not change.
Increased pain in the scrotum. The first stages of the disease are usually not accompanied by the appearance of adverse symptoms. Subsequently, if treatment is not provided, the pain syndrome becomes more noticeable. The baby may complain of discomfort or even soreness. Most often, it appears after a hot bath, brisk walking, or going to the toilet.

Diagnostics

The disease can be suspected in the early stages. For this, it is very important to monitor the condition of the child's intimate organs. It is most optimal to do this during daily hygiene procedures. Parents should pay attention to any deviations that occur in the external genital area of the baby. If there is a change in the color of the skin of the scrotum or its enlargement, you should definitely consult a doctor.

For additional diagnostics, it is better to contact a pediatric andrologist or urologist. These doctors have sufficient knowledge in the treatment of diseases of the intimate organs in boys.

You can turn to medical specialists from the very first days of your baby's birth. Such consultations will help identify the disease at an early stage and help prevent the development of long-term adverse effects.

Usually, doctors do several additional tests to establish a diagnosis. For the preliminary establishment of the disease, even a simple clinical examination is sufficient. During this, the doctor examines the baby's external genitalia and conducts all palpation tests to establish the correct diagnosis. In complex clinical cases, additional tests are required.

As prescribed by a pediatric urologist, the following are used to diagnose dropsy of the testicles:

Ultrasound examination of the scrotum and testicles. This method is absolutely safe and painless. During the procedure, the baby does not feel any pain at all. It takes only 15-20 minutes to establish a diagnosis. The method is quite accurate and highly informative.
Diaphanoscopy. This method isthat the intimate organs are illuminated with the help of light. The study reveals the presence of free fluid between the membranes of the testicles. The method is widely used in pediatric urological practice around the world.

Laboratory tests, including a complete blood count and urine test, are auxiliary. Usually they are prescribed only to establish the cause of the disease, as well as to establish the degree of functional disorders. For example, a general blood test allows you to accurately establish the presence of a viral or bacterial infection in a child's body, which become the causes of the disease quite often. An increase in the level of leukocytes indicates the severity of the process. Changes in the parameters of the general analysis of urine occur only in advanced cases of the disease and are practically absent in the initial period of the disease.

Treatment

Therapy for dropsy of the testicles should be carried out as soon as possible. Timely treatment can help manage adverse symptoms and reduce the likelihood of delayed illness.

Disease therapy includes the sequential prescription of several groups of drugs.

To treat this condition, the following are used:

Symptomatic pain relievers. They allow you to eliminate the pain syndrome that occurs in the scrotum when the testicles are strongly squeezed by fluid. The following can be used as pain relievers: Ketorol, Ibuprofen, Analgin, Nimesulide and others. The drugs are prescribed in the form of tablets or injections. Prescribed strictly by a doctor.
Surgical operations. The indications for them are individual. The decision on surgical removal of fluid from the scrotum is made by the treating pediatric urologist. They are usually prescribed in cases where there are anatomical defects. The Ross operation is a fairly often used method of eliminating the adverse manifestations of the disease.

Reduction of adverse disease symptoms using funds from a home first aid kit. Some mothers suggest curing dropsy of the testicles with sea salt. This method of treatment has very controversial reviews. Usually, such self-medication only leads to a decrease in adverse symptoms, however, the disease does not completely cure.
Puncture of the affected testicle. Puncture in this case allows you to eliminate all excess fluid from the scrotum. The method is traumatic and has a number of contraindications. It is carried out according to strict indications. The decision on the need for a puncture is made by the treating pediatric urologist.

Performing hardening... Also refers to the surgical treatment of dropsy of the testicles. During the procedure, the doctor, using a special tool, pumps out fluid from the scrotum and injects a drug into it, which helps to reduce the formation of secretions in the future.Currently, this method is not used in children's practice. It can cause serious problems with reproductive function in the child in the future and even lead to the development of infertility.
Winkelmann's surgical method... The doctor conducts a layer-by-layer disclosure of the testicular membranes. Usually the size of the operating field is 4-6 cm. All fluid from the scrotal cavity is pumped out. After that, the doctor unfolds all the shells and stitches them on the back surface, which allows in the future not to form an excessive amount of fluid inside the scrotal cavity.

Usually, after surgery, the postoperative period is from two weeks to a couple of months. This time is required to restore all structures of the intimate area.

For good and fast tissue healing, it is required to limit strong physical exertion, as well as complete nutrition, enriched with protein products.

Doctors also recommend that babies not wear too tight and tight underwear, as this leads to squeezing of the external genitals. During the postoperative period, the baby must be regularly examined by a urologist. Six months after the operation, it is enough to visit the doctor only once a year.

Forecast

The course of the disease is usually mild to moderate. With timely diagnosis, the prognosis of the disease is usually favorable.

Almost 75% of babies who underwent dropsy of the testicle in childhood recover completely. In the future, they do not have any long-term adverse effects.

With an advanced course of the disease, various dangerous consequences can arise. Such conditions most often develop if parents do not treat their baby with due attention. A later visit to a doctor only aggravates the development of the disease. Treatment of the disease should not be carried out at home, but under the supervision of a specialist. This will reduce the likelihood of developing dangerous consequences of the disease that occur in older age.

Prevention

In order to prevent various clinical forms of the disease, you should:

Carry out hygiene procedures regularly. When redness of the scrotum and external genital organs appears, you can use various medicinal herbs that have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. These include: chamomile, calendula, string and other herbs. You can use decoctions of medicinal herbs in the form of lotions or add to the baths.

Monitor the condition of the baby's intimate organs... Seeing redness or enlargement of the scrotum, it is imperative to show the child to the doctor. Violation or increased frequency of urination can also be one of the adverse symptoms of dropsy of the testicles. Frequent urge, especially at night, should alert parents and motivate them to contact a specialist.
Avoid intense physical exertion. The correct selection of the optimal training regimen will contribute to the normal functioning of the reproductive system in the boy. During sports, any damage to the genital area should be avoided whenever possible.

Planning a healthy pregnancy. Any infections that have arisen during this period, which is special for each expectant mother, contribute to the development of various anatomical defects and anomalies in the baby.

Monitoring the course of pregnancy helps to prevent the appearance of many pathologies in the baby.

Timely diagnosis and treatment of concomitant diseases... All chronic pathologies of the urinary tract must be treated without fail. Babies suffering from these pathologies should regularly visit a pediatric urologist. Such dispensary observation will help prevent the progression of the disease in the future.
Leading a healthy lifestyle. Good nutrition, enriched with vitamins and containing a sufficient amount of protein products, helps to maintain the baby's optimal body weight. Obesity in most cases contributes to the development of various pathologies in boys. in the external genital area. Proper nutrition ensures optimal functioning of all organs in a child's body.

Fitted underwear for size and age... Wearing overly tight or tight underpants in boys often contributes to the development of diseases of the intimate organs. Toddler underwear should only be made from natural materials. When wearing it, the child should not experience any uncomfortable symptoms.

For what is testicular dropsy and how to treat it, see the next video.