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Case Reports
. 2017 Oct 4:2017:bcr2017221024.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-221024.

Hydrocele of the canal of Nuck presenting as a sausage-shaped mass

Affiliations
Case Reports

Hydrocele of the canal of Nuck presenting as a sausage-shaped mass

Ana Filipa Ferreira et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A 23-year-old woman presented with a painless vulval swelling. On physical examination, a soft fluctuant sausage-shaped mass was found, measuring approximately 4 cm, extending from the right inguinal region to the labia majora. Ultrasound revealed a well-defined hypoechoic elongated mass, septated, extending from the superficial inguinal canal to labia majora. Sonographic findings were consistent with the diagnosis of a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. Surgical exploration revealed an elongated cystic lesion with a total length of 13 cm, mucous component and internal septations. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen confirmed the suspected diagnosis.

Keywords: General Surgery; Obstetrics And Gynaecology; Pathology; Radiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Illustration of the canal of Nuck.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Swelling of the right labia majora.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Longitudinal ultrasonographic image using high frequency transvaginal transducer (5–12 MHz), showing a well-defined hypoechoic elongated cyst with 5.5 cm of long axis with septations.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Intraoperative photograph. Surgery revealed a cystic lesion with mucous component and a smooth internal surface with septations.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Microscopic aspect of the lesion. (A) The cyst was lined with a single layer of flat cells, without atypia. Underlying this layer was a dense collagenous fibrous tissue and a thin band of inflammatory cells, mostly histiocytic cells (H&E 400×). (B) Mesothelium origin of the cells covering the cyst was confirmed by negative immunostaining with BerEp4 (BerEp4 400×).

References

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