A Case Report of Female Hydrocele of the Canal of Nuck (Type I): A Diagnostic Challenge and Surgical Solution

The canal of Nuck is an anomaly of the female inguinal canal that can lead to the development of hernias or hydroceles. It is a result of incomplete obliteration of a pouch of the parietal peritoneum that accompanies the round ligament throughout the inguinal canal. This is a case report of a 27-year-old female with hydrocele of the canal of Nuck which was initially misdiagnosed as a reducible right inguinal hernia. Physical examination and ultrasound revealed a right groin 64 x 15 x 36 mm cystic mass extending from the right inguinal region to the labia majora. Right inguinal exploration was performed with an oblique inguinal incision. A cystic lesion measuring 65 x 15 mm was carefully dissected from the round ligament and excised. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. The patient is doing well after six months with no signs of recurrence on the operated side. The hydrocele of the canal of Nuck, though a rare condition, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis when evaluating inguinolabial swellings in female patients.