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Undescended testicle
Cryptorchidism; Empty scrotum - undescended testes; Scrotum - empty (undescended testes); Monorchism; Vanished testes - undescended; Retractile testes
Undescended testicle occurs when one or both testicles fail to move into the scrotum before birth.
Causes
Most of the time, a boy's testicles descend by the time he is 9 months old. Undescended testicles are fairly common in infants who are born early. The problem occurs less often in full-term infants.
Testicles
The testes are 2 egg-shaped male reproductive organs located in the scrotum. They produce sperm and the male hormone, testosterone.
Some babies have a condition called retractile testes and the health care provider may not be able to find the testicles. In this case, the testicle is normal, but is pulled back out of the scrotum by a muscle reflex. This is able to occur because the testicles are still small before puberty. The testicles will descend normally at puberty and surgery is not needed.
Scrotum
The scrotum is a part of a male's body that is located behind the penis. The scrotum is the sac (pouch) that contains the testes, epididymis, and th...
Testicles that do not naturally descend into the scrotum are considered abnormal. An undescended testicle is more likely to develop cancer, even if it is brought into the scrotum with surgery. Cancer is also more likely in the other testicle.
Bringing the testicle into the scrotum can improve sperm production and increase the chances of good fertility. It also allows the provider to do an exam for the early detection of cancer.
In other cases, no testicle may be found, even during surgery. This may be due to a problem that occurred while the baby was still developing before birth.
Symptoms
Most of the time there are no symptoms other than the absence of the testicle in the scrotum. (This is called an empty scrotum.)
Exams and Tests
An exam by the provider confirms that 1 or both of the testicles are not in the scrotum.
The provider may or may not be able to feel the undescended testicle in the abdominal wall above the scrotum.
Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, may be done.
Treatment
In most cases, the testicle will descend without treatment during the child's first year. If this does not occur, treatment may include:
- Hormone injections (B-HCG or testosterone) to try to bring the testicle into the scrotum.
-
Surgery (
orchiopexy
) to bring the testicle into the scrotum. This is the main treatment.
Orchiopexy
Undescended testicle repair is surgery to correct testicles that have not dropped down into the correct position in the scrotum.
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Having surgery early may prevent damage to the testicles and avoid infertility. An undescended testicle that is found later in life may need to be removed. This is because the testicle is not likely to function well and could pose a risk for cancer.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Most of the time, the problem goes away without treatment. Medicine or surgery to correct the condition is successful in most cases.
In about 5% of males with undescended testicles, the testicles cannot be found at the time of surgery. This is called a vanished or absent testis.
Possible Complications
Complications may include:
- Damage to the testicle from surgery
- Infertility later in life
-
Testicular cancer
in both testes
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that starts in the testicles. The testicles are the male reproductive glands located in the scrotum.
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When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your child's provider if he appears to have an undescended testicle.
References
Barthold JS. Abnormalities of the testes and scrotum and their surgical management. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 132.
Elder JS. Disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St Geme JW III, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 545.
Wampler SM, Llanes M. Common scrotal and testicular problems. Prim Care . 2010;37:613-626. PMID: 20705202 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20705202 .
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Male reproductive anatomy - illustration
The male reproductive structures include the penis, the scrotum, the seminal vesicles and the prostate.
Male reproductive anatomy
illustration
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Male reproductive system - illustration
The male reproductive system, viewed from a sagittal section.
Male reproductive system
illustration
-
Male reproductive anatomy - illustration
The male reproductive structures include the penis, the scrotum, the seminal vesicles and the prostate.
Male reproductive anatomy
illustration
-
Male reproductive system - illustration
The male reproductive system, viewed from a sagittal section.
Male reproductive system
illustration
Review Date: 8/31/2015
Reviewed By: Jennifer Sobol, DO, urologist with the Michigan Institute of Urology, West Bloomfield, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
