A study to evaluate the effect of hydrocoele on testis and spermatogenesis: a cross-sectional study from Bhopal, India

Abstract

Background: Hydrocoele fluid closely surrounds testes and by virtue of this, it is liable to cause some change in the external environment of testes. This can be in the form of increased pressure, increased temperature. This can ultimately result in the morphological alteration of testes, which in turn can affect spermatogenesis and steroid genesis. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in the department of surgery, Peoples college of Medical Sciences and hospital, Bhopal. A total of 92 cases of unilateral scrotal hydrocoele were studied. Bilateral cases were excluded from the study. Results: In our study, we found the association between the duration of hydrocoele with histopathological changes and impaired spermatogenesis is highly significant and also the association between size of hydrocoele with histopathological changes and impaired spermatogenesis is significant. Conclusions: There are few variables which did not show significant association with impaired spermatogenesis in presence of hydrocoele were pain, fever, family history of hydrocoele, cord thickening, amber colour of fluid and lymphadenopathy. To sum up it would seem that big hydrocoele of long duration impair spermatogenesis and may lead to sub-fertility or infertility.