Undescended testicle

Extract

• If left untreated, the amount of germ cells in an undescended testis decreases as the child grows. Even when treated, the undescended testes are usually smaller at adult age than testes that have descended normally.
• Approximately one half of undescended testes observed at birth descend spontaneously during the first six months of life.
• In pre-school age, a movable testis (testis saltans) is very common. The underlying cremaster reflex usually subsides by school age, but in some cases the testis may retract again. Possibly as many as one half of operations on undescended testes are performed because a previously descended testis has retracted back up. Testes that have descended at a rather late stage or that are hypermobile appear to be at particular risk for this.
• Examine the testes at every health check in pre-school and school age.
• Ultrasonography is usually not useful in estimating the need for treatment.
• Refer to a paediatric surgeon a child with
  • undescended testis or testes when the child has reached the age of six months
  • earlier if absence of both testes is suspected (particularly if there is any abnormality in the external genitalia)
  • also later if the testis is constantly out of the scrotum.
• If the testes are at least occasionally in their proper place, e.g. when having a bath or a shower, no treatment is needed. In problematic cases the state of the testes should be checked annually.

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Child, Chorionic Gonadotropin, Cryptorchidism, Endocrinology, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Paediatric surgery, Paediatrics, Q53*, Q55.20, Scrotum, Testis, Urology, hypermobile testis, undescended testicle