Aspiration sclerotherapy for hydroceles in the tropics.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the usefulness of aspiration sclerotherapy in the treatment of hydroceles in the tropics.


METHODS
This prospective study included 82 patients with 94 primary vaginal hydroceles of which 62 hydroceles were treated by aspiration and tetracycline hydrochloride sclerotherapy as an outpatient procedure (mean age of patients 56.5 years, range 40-82) and 28 were treated surgically and included as controls (mean age 52.4 years, range 40-70). All patients were followed for a year.


RESULTS
In the sclerotherapy group, the overall cure rate after a year was 95%. Few complications were encountered in this group: six patients (10%) experienced pain during the procedure, seven patients (12%) had local infection and three patients (5%) developed haematoma. No recurrence was encountered in the surgical group, seven patients (25%) had infection and two patients (7%) developed haematoma. The mean hospital stay for the surgical group was 3.4 +/- 1.3 days (range 1-7). Four patients with thick-walled hydroceles had persistent swelling after sclerotherapy, the recurrence of which dissatisfied the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspiration sclerotherapy for thin-walled hydroceles proved to be a curative, simple, safe and cost-effective out-patient procedure. It can be an alternative to surgery in developing countries where resources are limited.
Musa
M T
MT
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
Fahal
A H
AH
el Arabi
Y E
YE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015911:Sclerotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D006848:Testicular Hydrocele / Q000628:therapy*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014330:Tropical Medicine; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; D013752:Tetracycline