Penis & scrotum
Inflammatory
Fat necrosis
Authors: Alcides Chaux, M.D., Antonio L. Cubilla, M.D.
Topic Completed: 1 May 2010
Minor changes: 28 October 2020
Copyright: 2002-2021, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Fat necrosis scrotum
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Epidemiology | Etiology | Clinical features | Treatment | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) imagesCite this page: Chaux A, Cubilla AL. Fat necrosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/penscrotumfatnecrosis.html. Accessed January 15th, 2021.
Definition / general
- Resembles fat necrosis elsewhere
Epidemiology
- Mostly obese prepubertal boys (J Urol 1976;116:825)
- Represents 1% of all acute pediatric scrotum cases
Etiology
- May be due to trauma and hypothermia (swimming in very cold water, Br J Urol 1975;47:331)
Clinical features
- Swollen, firm and tender scrotum
- Frequently bilateral
- Testis uninvolved
Treatment
- Symptoms resolve spontaneously within a few weeks with conservative management; surgery is not necessary except to rule out other processes (Int J Urol 2010;6)
Gross description
- Ill defined, gray-yellow mass
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Fat necrosis with prominent inflammatory infiltrate
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Angel Fernandez-Flores, M.D., Ph.D.
Skin, not scrotum, in patient with acute pancreatitis
