Comparative study of sclerotherapy with phenol and surgical treatment for hydrocele

PURPOSE: We compared the efficiency, side effects and effects on spermatogenesis of sclerotherapy with phenol and surgical treatment for hydrocele. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 67 patients (80 hydroceles) were randomly divided into 2 groups of 40 hydroceles each. One group underwent phenol sclerotherapy and the other underwent hydrocelectomy. Spermiograms were done before, 6 and 12 months after treatment in patients able to ejaculate. RESULTS: In the sclerotherapy group 47.5%, 30%, 12.5%, 5% and 2.5% of the hydroceles were cured with 1 to 5 injections, respectively, but 2.5% were not cured even with 6 injections. There were no complaints of localized pain or infection in these cases. All patients returned to normal activity on the same day. In the hydrocelectomy group 97.5% and 2.5% of hydroceles were cured with 1 and 2 operations, respectively. There was pain postoperatively in 73.5% of the patients and localized infection in 5%, while 62.5% required an average of 4.5 days of rest and were absent from work for 10 days. There was no significant statistical alteration in spermatozoid concentration in the preoperative, and 6 and 12-month postoperative counts in the groups (p = 0.385). CONCLUSIONS: Sclerotherapy for hydrocele with phenol is as efficacious as hydrocelectomy, while causing less morbidity and similar effects on spermatogenesis.