[Pathology of the peritoneo-vaginal complex in the child. Communicating hydrocele, cord cyst, simple hydrocele].

The abnormal persistence of the patent processus vaginalis determines the appearance of four types of pathology, depending on the grade and sort of communication: communicating hydrocele, hydrocele of cord, scrotal hydrocele and intrafunicular hernia. We have revised our casuistry of children with patent processus vaginalis pathology for the two last years (1995-1996), and we have found 75 communicating hydrocele cases, 5 hydrocele of cord and 16 scrotal hydrocele cases, on children between 1 month and 13 years old. The diagnostic was done after physical exploration with transillumination and inguino-scrotal ultrasound. Initially, conservative treatment was followed, which was enough for 58 patients (60.4%). In the 38 cases (39.6%) in which there were no improvement, surgical treatment via inguinal was carried out, with good results in nearly all cases. As a conclusion, we can assert that ultrasound is an excellent diagnostical method for patent processus vaginalis pathology and conservative treatment must have priority upon surgery, since a great number of spontaneous resolutions are observed, most of all on children aged less than two years old.