by Sarah Gill
When I have a patient who has oedema in their legs upper thighs and glutes I always state/ask the following: “This can sometimes be a difficult subject, but with your condition it is common to get swelling in your genitals. Have you noticed any changes in this area?”
Sometimes scrotal oedema is quite evident and at other times the patient may just feel that the area is heavier. Can the patient describe the change in size to that of a grapefruit or melon and do they have difficulty urinating due to a retracted penis? Does the swelling come and go or get worse at any particular time of day? These questions that need to be asked before a treatment protocol can put in place. We have two different methods to choose from depending on the severity of oedema and the overall condition of the patient. Method 1 is suitable for palliative care/aged care and all of our training materials are also available for your patients use.
Method 1:
Ask the patient to wear some compressive shorts as underwear – such as cotton bicycle shorts. It is important that the patient does not wear underwear underneath the shorts. Cut the Mobiderm 15mm-x-15mm roll into either 2 or 3 strips measuring 15cm in length and insert these into Cotton short stretch bandage (which you cut open to form a tube). Place these strips directly in between the compression shorts and the scrotum. These can be worn either at night time or during the day when the patient is home. Also, direct the patient to do 3 x deep abdominal breaths 3 to 4 times a day and self lymphatic drainage were appropriate.
Method 2:
The materials you need for this are: Cotton short stretch bandage,
Mobiderm 15mm x 15mm blocks in a sheet, 8cm Biflexideal light short stretch bandage .
Please note that you and your patient can view this method by going to:
VIDEO - Gential treatmetns and Mobiderm and/or Click here to download the complete procedure for Mobiderm Scrotal Bandaging
- Take the Short Stretch Cotton Bandage and cut the opening so that it makes a tube. Cut a hole on one side so that the penis can be positioned through it. Place a good amount of cotton at the top of the scrotum
- Stretch the cotton out (width required) and place the tube over the scrotum, penis in the hole.
- Leave enough length to double over the scrotum again and trim the end of the tube
- Make a Mobiderm cup with a sheet of Mobiderm 15mm x 15mm blocks. Trim the sheet to cup entirely around the scrotum, to make a scrotum sack Mobiderm 15 x 15mm roll Measure up 2 x lengths of Mobiderm over the scrotum, one posterior to anterior and one medial to lateral so that you have a cross. Cut out some more sections of Mobiderm to stick with strong adhesive tape so that you have made a complete scrotum sack
- Place a small hole in the centre of the Mobiderm scrotum sack and pull the end of the cotton tube (that is already placed around the scrotum) through. Shifting the Mobiderm sack over the scrotum, taping to the outside
- Twist the cotton bandage at the bottom of the scrotum and then fold it back up over the Mobiderm
- Bandage with 8cm Biflexideal in a figure of 8.
- Patient wears firm fitting cotton bicycle shorts.
As the scrotum reduces in size adjust the size of the scrotum sack. If you are unable to bandage the Mobiderm scrotal sack will still be effective in cotton bicycle shorts or a scrotal sling.