[The treatment of hydrocele as ambulatory surgery].

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the results of this surgical treatment of hydrocele over the first four years of integration of the Urology Department in the Major Ambulatory Surgery Unit in our Hospital.

METHODS

From January 2000 to July 2004 we have performed 167 hydrocelectomies as ambulatory surgery in 152 patients (15 cases bilateral) with ages ranging from 16-87 years (mean 52.6). All procedures were performed under local anesthesia, using between 10-15ml of 1% lidocaine. The Lord's vaginalis plication technique was employed in 92% of the cases, leaving resection techniques for the remaining 8%, which presented certain degree of enlargement of the tunica vaginalis. We evaluated inclusion and discharge criteria, results, and degree of satisfaction by means of a questionnaire.

RESULTS

Results are equivalent to those of inpatient surgery. Only one patient required admission to the hospital due to a postoperative complication, which was clearly independent of the ambulatory character of the process. Satisfaction with treatment was higher than 95%.

CONCLUSIONS

Almost all patients with hydrocele are candidates to ambulatory surgery, significantly improving the cost-efficacy rate, without diminishing the quality of care or patient satisfaction.