Hydrocele
Hydrocele is the presence of fluid in the space in front of the testicle. When the testicles are being formed in the embryo, they start off life high up on the back of the abdominal wall. During development in the nine months of pregnancy they are pulled down and out, through the front of the abdomen via a pathway called the inguinal canal in the groin, to lie in the scrotum. (This happens because the formation of sperm needs to be carried out at a lower temperature than body temperature).
When the testicles pushed through the abdominal wall they carried it with them, forming a lining in front of the testicle called the tunica albicans, which has a space containing a little fluid called the tunica vaginalis. This may become filled with a large amount of fluid (the cause is usually unknown, but it may result from conditions such as orchitis, inflammation of the testicle, or underlying Cancer, and it is common in the newborn). This causes a swelling of the testicle, which may become very large. Since we don't know what causes them, we don't know how to stop them, and we need to drain them if they become uncomfortable, though it may be wise to rule out any underlying problems such as Cancer of the testicle by performing an ultrasound beforehand.
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