From Infancy to Adulthood: Managing Undescended Testicles Across the Lifespan
What is an undescended testicle?
It is prevalent during the development of a fetus. An undescended testicle occurs when an undescended testicle has not moved into the scrotum, the bag of skin that hangs behind the penis. The medical term for testicles that do not descend is cryptorchidism. It is one of the most common endocrine problems in newborn males and a frequent genital condition that doctors can identify at birth. Cryptorchidism often corrects itself within a few months of birth. However, an infant sometimes needs surgery to relocate the testicle to the scrotum. Pediatric surgeons treat undescended testicles.
A baby with an undescended testicle
Is cryptorchidism harmful to your health, and how does it affect you?
During the growth of the fetus, cryptorchidism occurs when one or both testicles do not descend into the scrotum.
- During the pregnancy period, the testicles of a male baby grow in the abdomen and gradually move into the scrotum through the abdominal canal.
- Scrotums are small pouches or sacs of skin that hang behind the penis.
- Testicles are oval-shaped reproductive organs found in males.
- Sperm cells are produced in the testicles and are vital for reproduction.
- They produce testosterone, which is crucial for the development of male sexuality.
- The testicles (testes) of a baby boy have not yet descended into the scrotum, a condition called "undescended testicles."
- Your paediatrician or his parents will detect this problem in the baby only when the scrotum is empty.
- The testicles originate inside a baby boy's belly as he grows in his mother's womb and travel down (descend) into the scrotum just before birth.
- When the testicles do not move down, the baby may be born with one or both testicles that remain intact.
An undescended testicle could affect fertility later in life or lead to other issues like injury or torsion, in which a testis twists itself and becomes damaged.
- Male babies born prematurely account for the bulk of cases.
- By the time the baby was 3-6 months old, nearly half of these newborns' undescended testicles had moved down uniquely.
- If they do not, they must get treatment.
- The testicles make and store sperm, and if not drop down and can become damaged.
- It is also important to note that testes they do not descend are generally more prone to developing cancer in adulthood.
- Your urologic surgeon will discuss these problems with you in detail.
- The attending doctor can feel or "palpate" most undescended testicles.
- The testicle may not be found or palpable in a few kids and may appear.
- The testicle may be inside the abdomen and needs further evaluation.
A paediatric surgical specialist should check if a testicle has not descended on its own by the time a baby is six months old. Often, your surgical consultant will diagnose a retractile testis, which rarely needs surgery at this age. If confirmed to be an undescended testis, doctors may perform surgical treatment, which involves locating and repositioning the testicle in the scrotum.
The surgical alternatives to the position of the undescended testis are:
- Standard orchidopexy: Experts examine and cut the groin, and we locate the testis in the scrotum.
- Laparoscopic orchidopexy: In laparoscopic orchidopexy, experts use a laparoscope. Experts can remove testicles with laparoscopy either in a single step or two.
- What Is the Procedure for Diagnosing an Undescended Testicle?
You may be able to watch the undescended testicles. In other cases, the testicle may not be detectable. In other circumstances, the testicle may not be present at all. Your child's doctor may use an X-ray or ultrasound imaging test to diagnose an undescended testicle. Imaging studies, such as an MRI with contrast dye, can determine whether his testicle is present or absent. Two situations can cause an undescended testicle to appear. A retractile testicle slides back and forth between the groyne and scrotum of your child. As your child grows older, this condition usually fades. An ascending testicle returns to your child's groyne but is tough to guide.
- What Is the Treatment for an Undescended Testicle?
When your child is six months old, his undescended testicle will usually come down effortlessly. At that point, his doctor will most likely conduct a physical examination. When the testicle hasn't descended, experts go for testing. Hormones trigger testosterone, which allows your child's testicles to shrink. Experts inject human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) during this process. It doesn't work and is not as effective as surgery. It has the potential to cause early puberty.