Examination of the scrotum

Approach

  • If patient is lying in bed, examine supine
  • If standing, examine standing
  1. Inspect - determine whether problem is "groin" or "scrotum"
    • Inspect groin and scrotum
    • Scrotal incisions may be difficult to see as they are made in the median raphe in between the two hemiscrotums
    • Check in the groins
  2. Palpate
    • both testes, one at a time
    • Palpate normal contour, identify epididymis and ductus deferens
    • Surface of testis is firm and regular
    • Lumpbs and irregularity - especially hard masses are abnormal

      ? separate from testis
      ? can you get above it
      ? does it transilluminate

  3. Percuss
  4. Auscultate

Completion

  1. Continue to examine the rest of the abdomen and groin
  2. Lymph drainage of tests to para-aortic nodes (retroperitoneal) // inguinal lymphadenopathy is not likely to be a response of testicular problems (but lymph drainage from scrotal skin and penis is)