Swelling after hydrocelectomy

They stitch the testicle to the inside of the scrotum that's why it hangs different.

But I asked the surgeon and he said it is floating freely and it is not stiched, but I does feel like that it is stiched to the scrotum.

 

If you tug on the skin or play around with it a bit you will definitely be able to tell if it's stitched to it, loosens over time but I can still feel it. Maybe it has to do with scar tissue or something, I had 3 procedures and all 3 times he stitched it to the inside of the scrotum.

I'm about 8 months post operation - just give it some time and feel fortunate its hanging a bit higher! :D  After everything returned to a "normal" pre-hydrocele awareness (let alone really growing large to relize something what just not right) size, the side & scrotum having the operation & the giant incision is now hanging noticably lower & less firm than the unaffected/non-operated side.  The testicle is not down there, but there is more "drooping" of the scrotum itself.

It is "hanging" a lot higher. My left hangs really low and the right side (operated side) does almost not hang. 

Was yours also like my case in the beginning? So your are saying that after some time I will have the opposite problem? It is 4 months since my surgery... Or are you just saying that you have the opposite problem? 

Think of it this way... when it's really cold, your "nuts" are almost up into your belly.  But when it's really hot, they are hanging low.  This is due to the tiny muscles in your scrotum (flesh) moderating the temp of your testicles in a Goldie Locks sort of way, not too hot, not too cold, but just right.  The surgery cut through these tiny muscles, so they are no longer able to contract (draw up as much) as they once did and when they are relaxed (stretched out) they are a bit longer given the scar tissue from the incision.  Your testicle was stitched to the inside (middle) of the wall between the two scrotum compartments, but as the stitches dissolve, the testicle will return to "free floating" in its compartment inside its scrotum.

Sorry, please mind the humor, it was what helped me get through this too - as I was as stressed as you! 

Patsfan (hey man! see you've gone through a 3rd surgery - sigh), must be the most "unlucky" hydrocele person in the world.  Thanks for all your support and insights along the way!  I just completed the Patient Forum survey - told them keeping this away from general publication/links to social media (Facebook, Twitter) was best - the level of confidentiality & anaminity for its users was important to keeping the honest and open communication among its users alive.

Thanks for your response. Please have patience with me:

When it is cold everything is almost fine, but when it is hot only the one not operated on hangs and the other one stays really high (not in my "belly" but pretty high). If what you say about the muscles is right (it sounds logical) then it should be the opposite of my problem. Right? That is then the one operated on should hang low, but I have the opposite problem. 

It has been four months... Shouldn't the stiches have dissolved by now? 

I've had bad luck all my life but in not sure if my bad luck was just in the doc I chose. How do you mistake the lack of a hydrocele when you had an ultrasound to look at before hand? And my testicle size increased even though the doc said he did nothing to the testicle because he found no hydrocele when he opened me up? I agree with you on the patient forum survey I am going to complete it and suggest the same.

Sometimes hydrocels can go away by themselves. I think when they are small. I remember I went to drain my hydrocele (before I chose surgery) and the doctor said my left testicle also had a small hydrocele. But he did not do anything about it. The next time I went to get it drained the doctor said the small hydrocele was gone and said sometimes they come and go away by themselves. It might be what has happened... 

Wrt increase in size. I think every time they cut the sac damage happens. This is also why my operated side after four months is still larger than normal size and this seems to be pretty normal from what I read here. 

Now that I think more about it, it makes more sense. After they cut the sac open some damage is done to the sac and it looses its elasticity. What kind of underwear do you think it is best to use in my case (not dropping down)? Maybe boxers are not good in this case because the sac needs rest? Does it sound logical do you think? 

Hey we are sharing the same experience, left side hanging way low! So here is my story....

14 years ago I had my first Hydrocele surgery or as some call "repair". My hydrocele was large but not huge as some have described as a grapefruit! It was diagnosed as something I could live with our chose to repair. It was just too  uncomfortable to sit any longer and the novelty of being a guy with huge nuts wore off!

The surgery went OK.... alot of swelling and blood, ice packs moderate pain. My stitches were vertical and long in nature. I also had a scab but that was from the bad barber whom shaved me! ;( Ihealed in a few months and everything seemed fine.., until.........,

Three year later I suspected a return. I had a ultrasound and it showed a slight bit of fluid. Nothing my urologist said I should be concerned with. What did concern me however was I figured fluids over time would continue to swell and they did.

Now ten years later I start to feel pain. on the same side as my surgery. I also experienced general lower extremity pain from my thighs to my lower back. As I am not one for doctors to say the least I spent about six months dealing with this. My right testicle was growing larger I was sure of and the pain in my right side started to happen in the left. The right testicle was now pushing into the left area. Fearing all the worse case scenarios I finally caved in. To the doctor I went.

My wife and I have good health coverage and I went with a specialist at UCLA in Los Angeles. I had the ultrasound and it confirmed that a secondary hydrocele had started to form. Explained like a basketball when on part gets weak and a bulging portion starts to form. (No not my nut the size of a basketball!)

So I scheduled the surgery and dreaded having to do this a second time even though I knew it would bring some relief. The operation went smoothly or so I thought as I wasn't given too much info afterwards except come back in two weeks. So I did.

Before that appointment I noticed something that I did not from the first experience, bruising all around my pubic area as well as my penis. It had me a bit concerned. I iced for three days and everything turned almost black. My stitches this time were much smaller and horizontal. I wondered how they got in there! Advanced technology or style? I later found out it was the doctors technique.

This brings me to my next big worry like yours David. My left testicle finally relaxes post surgery and i notice its as saggy and limp as I have ever seen it. I tried not to worry too much as i realized my right side was all stitched up and not able to hang yet but it looked very strange. For about a week I kept watching and it wasn't really changing. I just has to tell my self this is a few months process in healing 10 days is not gonna be the final result.

So at my post op check up doctor says looks great! I said well not really! It takes time and come back in one month.

That is where I am at. I had two low hangers with one huge nut. Now I have just one smaller low hanger with a bigger high hanger. Not sure if you still check this site Dave but can I ask... "HOW'S IT HANGIN"!

 

That was a long comment!

My left still hangs very low and the right is a bit bigger at does not get to hang so much. My surgery is 10 months ago and I my doctor told me that it will probably remain like this. 

In another tread someone else had this problem and also wrote that it after some time it got to hang a bit lower but not as low as the other one. About three months after the surgery is what the result is going to be.

Try not to think about it. And my opinion is that don't push for another surgery because it will probably get worse (read patsfan7's comments). 

I second that! Will only make matters worse.

So what did you do about the “non-hanging”?