Treatment of cryptorchidism with male sex hormone

Abstract

Summary 1. A review of the 47 cases in the literature on the treatment ofcryptorchidism with male sex hormone is presented in tabular form. Eleven (23.4 per cent) of the cases responded to treatment with complete descent of the testicles; and 13 (27.6 per cent) of the cases showed only a partial response to therapy. 2. Twenty boys with cryptorchidism were treated with male sexhormone: 17 of the boys had unilateral undescended testicles, and 3 of the boys had bilateral undescended testicles. 3. Three (15 per cent) of the cases responded to therapy with complete descent of the testes; one was a unilateral case, and two were bilateral. 4. Partial effect was obtained in 9 (45 per cent) of the cases treated. In these cases the testicles which had not been palpable before treatment became palpable after treatment and could be pulled into the scrotum. In 4 of the cases where the testicles were palpable at the onset of treatment, there was an apparent lengthening of the cord so that the testicles could be pulled into the scrotum. 5. Further treatment with gonadotropic hormone should be institutedin those children who show a partial response to the male sex hormone. 6. Male sex hormone seems to be the most effective in those bilateralcases which show some endocrine disturbance. 7. Though male sex hormone will produce an enlargement of the penisand scrotum and growth of pubic hair, it has a marked tendency to cause a shrinkage in the size of the testicle, both descended and undescended. 8. Gonadotropic hormone is more effective than male sex hormone in the treatment of cryptorchidism. However, some cases which do not respond to gonadotropic hormone alone will respond to therapy when given a combination of gonadotropic and male sex hormone.