Hydrocele In a Hydrocele in a child the passage being partly closed, does not allow the intestines but will allow only the free fluid in the abdominal cavity to trickle down through the open passage into the scrotum. However, there may be 20 - 30% of adults having an open passage yet no visible hernia or hydrocele.


Symptoms : Just the presence of a patent passage is not sufficient to cause a hernia. Other factors like excessive straining for various reasons such as straining to pass stool, urine, continuous long standing cough , non descended testis, excess of free fluid in the abdomen (ascites) etc are precipitating factors. Hernias are seen in 1 - 4 % of children but the chances of having a hernia are much higher in those children born prematurely and in infants. Boys seem to have a higher incidence of hernia than girls and the ratio is 3 - 10 : 1, and is more common on the right side. About 60% of children have right sided hernia, 30% a left sided hernia and only 10% both sides at detection. In a child having hernia, there is a 11.5% chance of someone else in the family having had a hernia.