Epididymal cyst

Condition

An epididymal cyst is a fluid-filled sac which grows at the top end of the testicle. It is benign (ie not caused by cancer), but can gradually grow over time and become quite tense and painful, causing difficulty with daily activities and work in some cases. The diagnosis is made by physical examination and an ultrasound scan, which is mandatory for all scrotal conditions.

Treatment

Epdidiymal cysts can be removed through a day surgery operation with an incision in the scrotum. This aims to remove just the cyst without damaging the fine sperm collecting tubules from which they arise.

However, there is a real risk of scarring to the sperm collecting tubes after surgery, causing functional infertility on the affected side. For this reason, urologists are generally reluctant to perform removal of cysts on young men who haven't completed their family, particularly as cysts may arise on the other testicle in the future.