Hydrocele with surprise. Case report and review of literature

Hydrocele is a fluid collection between tunica vaginalis and testis. Approximately 10% of testicular cancers occurs with a reactive hydrocele.

A 64 year old male presented with a 30 year history of left hydrocele, progressively increasing. Physical examination demonstrated a left large hydrocele, transilluminable, not under pressure. Ultrasonography showed a "corpusculated hydrocele with vaginal hypertrophy jutting out near the head of the epididymis, perhaps caused by an inflammatory reaction [...]" As the patient showed only a minimal discomfort due to the groin swelling, without pain, surgical excision was planned without priority (Class C < 180 days).

The surgical exploration showed a paratesticular papillary neoplasm of 3 cm. Intraoperative pathologic examination of a frozen sample demonstrated a "borderline papillary cystadenoma". The Left orchifunicolectomy was performed. The definitive histological examination showed a "left paratesticular Papillary Serous Tumor of Low Malignant Potential (PSTLMP) with morfoimmunoistochemical features of Mullerian origin of neoplasm". Computed tomography (CT) was negative for lymph nodes and metastasis. In agreement with the oncologist we decide for atchful waiting.

Despite of rich personal experience of resections and eversions of the vaginal tunic, an urologist rarely observes a case of paratesticular cancer. A PubMed search found 28 citations between 1985 and 2010 with 42 reported cases of paratesticolar neoplasm, including 27 with malignancy features. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common, followed by mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma and neuroblastoma. This case report consists of a "borderline" neoplasm for which in the literature, after orchiectomy, it is reported no case of recurrence or metastasis (with a follow up of up to 18 years).

The banality of the disease never must underestimate the possibility of an undetected cancer.