Outpatient hydrocele and spermatocele repair under local anesthesia.

We performed 20 hydrocele repairs and 18 spermatocelectomies using Lord's techniques on outpatients under local anesthesia. The only complication was delayed wound healing early in the series when tight pressure dressings were used. We now use only a simple dressing and a scrotal support. This method for these operations reduces the cost by 74 per cent compared to inpatient procedures under general anesthesia. This safety and cost-effectiveness argue strongly for performance of most hydrocele repairs and spermatocelectomies as outpatient procedures under local anesthesia.