title: Giant hydrocele--an epitome of neglect.
abstract: Hydrocele [Greek: water--sac] is abnormal fluid collection within the tunica vaginalis of the scrotum or a patent tunica vaginalis. It is a relatively common condition in surgical practice. However, a giant hydrocele, here defined for clinical purposes, as a hydrocele equal to or bigger than the patient's head, is rare as indicated by the limited number of reported cases in the literature. In this paper I am presenting three cases of giant hydroceles and highlighting how it affects the quality of patients' life by way of complications, infertility, sexual function and work capacity.
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department, Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. akpoee@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Emmanuel E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Akpo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D006848:Testicular Hydrocele / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery