What is a hydrocele? A hydrocele is a painless buildup of watery
fluid around one or both Reference testicles Opens New Window
that causes the Reference scrotum Opens New Window or groin area
to swell. This swelling may be unsightly and uncomfortable, but
it usually is not painful and generally is not dangerous.
Although hydroceles are common in newborns, they can also occur
at any age in later life. See a picture of a Reference hydrocele
Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window. What causes a
hydrocele? The cause of most hydroceles is unknown. Hydroceles
in newborns may mean there is an opening between the abdomen and
the scrotum. Normally such openings close before birth or
shortly after. Hydroceles that appear later in life may be
caused by an injury or surgery to the scrotum or groin area. Or
they can be caused by inflammation or infection of the Reference
epididymis Opens New Window or testicles. In rare cases,
hydroceles may occur with cancer of the testicle or the left
kidney. This type of hydrocele