Role of sclerotherapy as primary treatment of hydrocele

ABSTRACT

A variety of surgical procedures are available to treat hydrocele. Aspiration alone and aspiration followed by sclerotherapy has also been used to treat primary hydrocele. An original study is presented, which was carried out with a view to assess the outcome of sclerotherapy as primary treatment of hydrocele, its related complications, cost-effectiveness and comparison of results with surgical treatment of hydrocele. Design: It is a prospective study. Place and Duration of Study The study was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Mayo Hospital, Lahore from January 1999 to December 2000. Subjects and A total of fifty patients were included in the study having primary hdroceles, twenty-five for each procedure i.e. sclerotherapy and surgery. A careful history was taken and detail clinical examination of all the patients performed. Sclerotherapy with STD after aspiration of hydrocele fluid was carried out in twenty-five patients and the remaining patients treated surgically with Jaboulay's procedure. The study proved that sclerotherapy of hydrocele is a safe mode of treatment. It is quick, effective and causes less morbidity as compared to surgical treatment of hydrocele. Any form of anesthesia is not required for this procedure and patient's satisfaction is reasonable. It is less expensive as compared to surgery and may be used as primary treatment of the hydrocele. Sclerotherapy is the treatment of choice for primary hydrocele. Complications like pain, hematoma and infection are less than surgical procedure. Hospital stay is minimal and does not effect day-to-day work of the patient having sclerotherapy. Cost of treatment is significantly less than surgery. Post treatment recovery and patient's satisfaction is excellent in sclerotherapy as compared to surgical treatment