Patient's question:
My relative's child was born with a unilateral undescended testicle. Now that it's been 13 months, it hasn't descended yet. The hospital did a color Doppler ultrasound, but they couldn't find it. The doctor suggested laparoscopy, and if it's found in the abdomen, can it be safely removed without any abnormalities? Will it affect fertility?Doctor's answer:
Hello! During normal development, the testes descend from the retroperitoneal region of the abdomen to the scrotum. If descent does not occur or is incomplete, and the scrotum contains no testes or only one testis, this is called cryptorchidism, which is also clinically referred to as undescended testes or testicular maldescent. Cryptorchidism is one of the most common congenital anomalies of the pediatric urogenital system, often, with the right side being more commonly affected. Surgical treatment for cryptorchidism is best performed around six months of age, with the latest not exceeding two years. If treated in a timely manner, it will not affect testicular function or future fertility.