Ali A., 5

Ali is a 5 year old male child who is currently staying with his parents and siblings in a small community in the city of Bauchi state. The father is a labourer and the mother is a house wife. Ali is going to school with his siblings. They live in a 2 rooms apartment having a pit toilet. They make use o water from the well for their daily activities. They have access to electricity. Ali Was noticed to have a right sided scrotal swelling that has been there since birth. The swelling reduces when he lies on his back but increases when he stands erect for a while. Swelling is not painful and no fever associated. There is a similar history in his immediate younger brother. On examination there is swelling on his right scrotum extending proximally, the scrotum is soft, nontender and no differential warmth. Swelling reduces to almost normal on lying the patient supine and gently milking it upwards towards the inguinal canal. Both testes are palpable within the scrotum. He was diagnosed with Right Communicating Hydrocele. The family are poor and they seek help for medical support from Helpster Charity.

Ali had his surgery done on 8th August 2026. The procedure went smoothly and he made a rapid recovery after the surgery. He was able to start ambulating immediately after surgery. He commenced oral feeding thereafter and he tolerated it well. No any complication was witnessed during his care. He is currently doing very well. Oedema is subsiding and patient and his relatives are happy with the outcome.

Communicating or Primary Hydrocele is a congenital anomaly arising from failure of a tube connecting the peritoneum to the scrotum to close leading to fluid gravitating into the scrotum causing scrotal swelling. Majority closes during first year but when they fail to do so, they can be closed surgically. When left untreated, it might continue to swell leading to excessive warming of the testis and hence damaging it resulting in infertility or subfertility. The accumulated fluid can also get infected as part of its complication.