Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia vs. Testicular Hydrocele

Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia vs. Testicular Hydrocele

Left picture: Here, the correct diagnosis is a surgical abdomen due to an incarcerated inguinal hernia of the right side. Right picture: This newborn has a large testicular hydrocele with some bleeding occurring during birth.

In both male patients an inguinoscrotal swelling is present. Left picture: In this young infant the folds of the skin have disappeared in the scrotum which has a livid discoloration (right-sided inguinoscrotal swelling). Right picture: In this newborn the skin of the left-sided inguinoscrotal swelling has a livid discoloration, too. The swelling is cystic and tight on palpation, and continues more in a caudal direction than to the contralateral scrotum. Left picture: This swelling is not cystic, reaches more to the region of the right groin, is painful on palpation, and is combined with abdominal signs of an acute obstructive ileus.