tci Outpatient Facility Coding Alert - 2015 Issue 12

You Be the Coder: Know the Difference Between Adult and Pediatric Hydroceles

Question: How do you differentiate adult versus pediatric hydroceles Ohio Subscriber Answer: There’s a clear distinction between adult and pediatric hydroceles. Pediatric hydroceles are caused by a congenital condition called patent process vaginalis, or a communicating hydrocele. This hydrocele can turn into a hernia if a little piece of intestine comes down between the belly cavity and the scrotum. In adults there is a pocket of fluid caused by trauma or an inflammatory process such as epididymitis. The surgical treatments differ as well. In an adult, the surgeon treats the hydrocele via an incision in the scrotum. Usually...

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