Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the relationship between unilateral or bilateral criptorchidism, patient age, primary location of the gonad and modality of treatment with testicular volume and hormonal status at 18 years in patients diagnosed and treated for cryptorchidism during childhood.Materials and Methods Testicular volume, LH, FSH, and testosterone were evaluated in 143 young men at 18 years treated in childhood for unilateral (n=103) or bilateral (n=40) cryptorchidism.Results Unilateral cryptorchidism: Location of testis was prescrotal in 36 patients, inguinal in 52 and non-palpable in 15. The mean volume was 9.7 mL compared to 16.2 mL. for the spontaneously descended testicle in unilateral cryptorchidism. However, 22 patients who received HCG had a significantly bigger testis (11.8 mL.) than those treated with primary surgery (9.2 mL). The results showed a significant positive correlation between testicular volume and patient age at treatment.Bilateral cryptorchidism Location of testis was prescrotal in 34 cases, inguinal in 40 and 6 patients with non-palpable testicles. Mean volume at 18 years was 12.9 mL, greater than unilateral cryptorchid testis (9.7 mL) but smaller than healthy contralateral in unilateral cases (16.2 mL). There were significant differences in the testicular growth for bilateral patients with testicular descent after being treated with HCG (14.4 mL) in respect with those untreated (11.1 mL) or those who underwent primary surgery (11.4 mL). There was a significant positive correlation between the testicular volume and palpable (12.4 mL) or non-palpable testis (10.4 mL). There was a correlation between unilateral or bilateral cryptorchidism and levels of FSH.Conclusions Testicular volume and hormonal function at 18 years for patients diagnosed and treated for cryptorchidism during childhood are strongly influenced by whether the undescended testis was unilateral or bilateral. Location of the testes at diagnosis or age of initial treatment exerts no definite effect on testicular volume improvement or hormonal levels at 18 years of age.
Highlights
Incomplete descent of one or both testicles from the abdominal cavity, through the inguinal canal into the scrotum is a multifactorial etiology abnormality that affects 1-1.8% of male infants [1]
In all cases the testicular volume was measured by Prader orchidometry and ultrasonography
Testicular volume of patients with scrotal descent after HCG treatment (22 cases) was significantly higher in respect to those who were operated after failure of hormonal therapy and those who underwent primary surgery
Summary
Incomplete descent of one or both testicles from the abdominal cavity, through the inguinal canal into the scrotum (cryptorchidism) is a multifactorial etiology abnormality that affects 1-1.8% of male infants [1]. It is reported to be associated with infertility and testicular cancer [2] To minimize these complications is mandatory the placement and fixation of the testis in the scrotum [2, 3]. Testicular damage may be secondary to the abnormal position of the testis This damage is basically characterized by a progressive reduction in germ cell number and size of the seminiferous tubules with peritubular fibrosis and hyalinization, resulting in a decrease of the number of Leydig cells. These facts may affect the production of sexual hormones promoting testicular atrophy with subsequent infertility [6,7,8]. It is possible that the undescended testis has been inherently atrophic [12,13,14]; early correction of cryptorchidism would be less important [15,16,17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
