Topic Overview
Men who have or have had an
undescended testicle are more likely to have problems
with the reproductive system that may cause them to be unable to father a child
(infertility).
Most doctors believe that early diagnosis and treatment for an
undescended testicle improves chances for fertility in adulthood. Generally,
doctors recommend surgical treatment to place the testicle in the scrotum by
age 1 and no later than age 2. The location of the undescended testicle and the
boy's age when he is treated influence the outcome. Boys who have one
undescended testicle that is just above the scrotum or low in the
inguinal canal are more likely to be fertile than boys
who have two undescended testicles that are high in the inguinal canal or in
the abdomen.
References
Other Works Consulted
- Elder JS (2007). Disorders and anomalies of the
scrotal contents. In RM Kliegman et al., eds., Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 18th ed., pp. 2260–2265. Philadelphia: Saunders
Elsevier.
- Siegel NJ (2003). Cryptorchidism section of Kidney and
urinary tract. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph's Pediatrics, 21st ed., pp. 1740–1742. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | John Pope, MD - Pediatrics |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology |
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| Last Revised | April 1, 2011 |
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