Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 17, Issue 1 49-52, Copyright © 1998 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Hydroceles identified prenatally: common physiologic phenomenon?

D. H. Pretorius, M. J. Halsted, W. Abels, V. A. Catanzarite and G. Kaplan
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0610, USA.

Though the reported frequency of infant hydrocele has varied, the frequency of hydrocele in the fetus has not been studied. Our purpose was to determine the frequency of fetal hydrocele in the third trimester and subsequent outcome. Of the 123 fetuses studied, 19 fetuses had hydroceles. Of these, 14 babies were normal at follow-up, one baby had a persistent hydrocele, and four babies were lost to follow-up. Our study suggests that hydrocele is a relatively common finding in the third trimester in utero. Moreover, it suggests that parents can be reassured that, in the absence of other abnormalities, a hydrocele is usually a physiologic finding which resolves spontaneously.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E.-K. Ji, C. S. Yoon, and D. H. Pretorius Prenatal Diagnosis of an Inguinoscrotal Hernia: Sonographic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings J. Ultrasound Med., February 1, 2005; 24(2): 239 - 242. [Full Text] [PDF]