Urology
Hydrocele Repair in Nigeria
Fluid collecting around the testicle is drained and the sac dealt with so it cannot refill. It is a day case. Draining it with a needle alone almost always lets it come back, which is why the sac itself has to be treated.
Also called: Hydrocelectomy, Scrotal swelling surgery
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed 3 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Published price
₦450,000
Fixed all-in case rate, one side
Day case in most men.
What the price covers
- Surgeon and assistant fees
- Anaesthetist and theatre time
- Standard consumables for the operation
- Your bed for the expected stay
- Routine medication while you are admitted
- The post-operative review at six weeks
What it does not cover
- The first consultation and the tests that confirm you need the operation
- Treating conditions found during work-up, such as uncontrolled diabetes or an untreated infection
- Take-home medication after discharge
- Care for complications needing intensive care or a return to theatre
Related prices
Bilateral repair, both sides
₦585,000
What would change this price
- A hernia found alongside the hydrocele and repaired at the same time
- Both sides repaired in one admission, priced separately above
- An overnight stay, occasionally needed after a general anaesthetic
If an HMO is paying, the case needs prior authorisation before admission. Bring your HMO number to the first consultation and the desk will start it. If the plan declines, you are told the cash price before anything is booked.
Who this is for
- A scrotal swelling that has grown and is heavy or uncomfortable
- A hydrocele large enough to interfere with walking, sitting or sex
- A swelling that has been drained before and refilled
- Any scrotal swelling that has not been examined, because not all of them are hydroceles
When it is not the right answer
- A small hydrocele causing no symptoms at all
- An infant hydrocele in the first year of life, most of which resolve on their own
- A swelling that has not been scanned where the testicle cannot be felt clearly, because a tumour has to be excluded first
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Examination and scrotal ultrasound₦35,000
The scan confirms it is fluid and, more importantly, shows the testicle underneath it is normal.
- 2
Bloods and anaesthetic review
Booked in the same visit.
- 3
The operation
Forty five minutes to an hour under spinal or general anaesthetic. The sac is opened and either everted or excised so it cannot refill.
- 4
Home the same day
With scrotal support, painkillers and written wound care.
- 5
Review at six weeks₦25,000
Wound checked and the result confirmed.
Recovery, realistically
Days 1 to 3
Swelling and bruising, which look worse than they are. Scrotal support and ice help more than anything else.
Week 1 to 2
Desk work usually possible within a week. No heavy lifting.
Week 2 to 6
Swelling settles steadily. It can take six weeks to look normal, and that is expected.
After six weeks
Full activity including sex and sport.
Risks you should be told about
- A collection of blood in the scrotum, the commonest problem, occasionally needing draining
- Infection
- Persistent swelling that takes weeks to settle
- Recurrence, uncommon after proper repair of the sac
- Injury to the testicle or its blood supply, rare
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Can it just be drained with a needle?
It can, and it almost always refills, because the sac that produced the fluid is still there. Needle drainage has a place for a man unfit for surgery, and for everyone else it is a temporary measure.
Will it affect my fertility?
The operation does not normally affect fertility. A large long-standing hydrocele can raise the temperature around the testicle, which is one reason to deal with it.
Why does it look worse a week after surgery?
Swelling and bruising peak in the first week. Six weeks is when you judge the result.
Could it be something else?
That is exactly why the scan is done first. Any scrotal swelling where the testicle cannot be clearly felt needs a tumour excluded before anything else happens.
Prices shown are Mezo cash prices in naira and were last checked on 3 October 2026. They are what you would be quoted for the standard case described here. Your final quote follows an examination, because the right operation for you may not be this one.