Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair of a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck in an adult woman.

Abstract

Hydrocele of the canal of Nuck is a rare pathology seen in adult women. Homologous with the processus vaginalis in men, pathologies of the canal of Nuck arise from a failure of obliteration of this tract. More commonly they present in children but rarely manifest in adults typically presenting as a painful lump which can be difficult to distinguish clinically from hernias. Cross-sectional imaging is key in diagnosis and surgery is the mainstay of treatment as it allows of excision of the hydrocoele and reinforcement of the defect to prevent subsequent hernias. While often the pathology is benign, malignancies have been documented and once excised the hydrocele should undergo pathological analysis to exclude such malignancies. Herein we present the case of a 44-year-old women who presented with a symptomatic hydrocele of the canal of Nuck confirmed on imaging that was successfully treated with a laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal approach.