Conditions
UNDESCENDED TESTES
Orchiolysis & orchidopexy for undescended testis
While the testicles should develop and drop while your baby is still in the womb during the last few months of pregnancy, every 1 in 25 baby boys are born with undescended testicles. Undescended testis, otherwise known as cryptorchidism, can resolve within the first year, however, if they do not, your urologist may advise surgery.
Dr Ridgard may perform undescended testicle repair surgery, otherwise known as orchiolysis and orchidopexy, to correct the placement of the testicle. Left untreated, this condition may lead to infertility and increases the child's risk of developing testicular cancer.
What does an orchiolysis & orchidopexy involve?
An orchiolysis and orchidopexy of the undescended testis is usually done on a baby boy between the ages of 5 and 15 months of age. This surgery can be done for older children and adults; however, the surgery may differ. This surgery is done to move the testicle into the scrotum where it belongs by making a small incision into the groin and repositioning the testicle. Once in the correct position, the testicle is secured in place with stitches. Depending on the location of the testis, this surgery may be done with laparoscopic techniques using small incisions and a camera-guided laparoscope to perform minimally invasive surgery. In other cases, open surgery may be needed.
The recovery time may differ depending on whether the surgery was done through open or laparoscopic surgery techniques and the age of the patient.
FAQ
No, this ailment does not cause any discomfort.
A doctor will not be able to feel an undescended testicle by hand in most circumstances. When it comes to testicles that haven't fallen into the scrotum, imaging isn't always necessary. Ultrasounds, computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have not been demonstrated to be helpful or therapeutic in the treatment of undescended testicles in the majority of cases.
Undescended testicles can exacerbate infertility. Boys with one undescended testicle, on the other hand, have the same ability for fathering children as those who are not afflicted at all. Boys with two undescended testicles, which account for a much smaller number of patients, have a reduced reproductive rate.
