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Hernia, hydrocele and testicular conditions

PAEDIATRIC

Minimum Referral Criteria

  • Category 1
    (appointment within 30 calendar days)
    • Child ≤ 6 months with Inguinal Hernia or uncertain diagnosis
    • Epididymoorchitis
    • Scrotal tumour/mass
    • Intermittent scrotal pain
  • Category 2
    (appointment within 90 calendar days)
    • Inguinal hernia ≥ age of 6 months
    • Hydrocele if it persists > 2 years or causes symptoms or grows rapidly
    • Unilateral undescended testis ≥ age of 3 months
    • Transilluminable swelling
  • Category 3
    (appointment within 365 calendar days)
    • Retractile testis – referral after the age of 2 years

1. Reason for request Indicate on the referral

  • To establish a diagnosis
  • For treatment or intervention
  • For advice and management
  • For specialist to take over management
  • Reassurance for GP/second opinion
  • For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
  • Reassurance for the patient/family
  • For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
  • Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

2. Essential referral information Referral will be returned without this

  • Onset and severity
  • Is the swelling reducible?
  • Trauma
  • Prior genitourinary surgeries / known urological abnormality (if applicable)
  • MCS and MSU results (epididymoorchitis only)

3. Additional referral information Useful for processing the referral

  • Irreducible inguinal hernia
    • keep fasted and give paracetamol prior to transfer to emergency
  • Reassurance uncomplicated hydrocele is elective surgical condition

4. Request

Last updated: 13 June 2023