VARIATIONS IN TIMING OF ELECTIVE ORCHIDOPEXY.

Abstract

Undescended testis or cryptorchidism is detected in 3% of full-term male newborns, and inup to 33% of preemies. As the testicular descent may sometimes resolve spontaneously during first months of life, cryptorchidism is found in 1% of boys one year old. According to Consensus of Nordic experts in. pediatric urology regarding cryptorchidism the optimal period for surgery is 12-18 months of age. The goal of this study was to identify the age of patients with congenital undescended testis at the time of surgery. A retrospective study included all the cases of cryptorchid patients who had undergone orchidopexy in the period from 2007 to 2014. The patients'. age and the place of residence were analyzed. A total of 637 patients (722 orchidopexies) underwent the elective operative treatment of undescended testis during the observed period. The analysis revealed that only 144 (22.60%) of cryptorchid infants were operated on within their first 18 months of life. In the group of 359 patients from* the urban environment, 101 (28.13%) were operated under the age of 18 months. Among the 278 patients from the rural enviornment, 43 (15.46%) were 18 months and younger at the time of surgery. The timing of surgical treatment of undescended testis in the study period was far from the recommended optimal time. It is evidently necessary to plan and provide additional information for pediatricians and parents about the current view on cryptorchidism and consequences of the late treatment.