Patient's question:
I was born with "unilateral cryptorchidism." I had surgery at the age of 13, and now one testicle is half in the scrotum and half in the lower abdomen. I'm 20 now, and sometimes when playing basketball, I feel a slight pain in the lower abdomen.1 What should I do?
2 What should I pay attention to in daily diet/activity?
3 Will there be any risks!?
Doctor's answer:
Undescended testes refer to the congenital absence of testes within the scrotum, which includes undescended testes, ectopic testes, and testicular agenesis. Undescended testes refer to the failure of testicular descent, where the testes are trapped during the descent process and fail to enter the scrotum. Clinically, undescended testes are often referred to as cryptorchidism. Ectopic testes are those that deviate from the normal descent pathway, reaching the perineum, thigh, suprapubic region, or even the contralateral scrotum. Testicular agenesis refers to the absence of one or both testes, accounting for approximately 3–5% of cases of undescended testes. In newborns, about 4–10% of male infants are born with testes that have not fully descended into the scrotum, and the process continues after birth. By the age of one, the incidence of cryptorchidism drops to only 1–2%, and in adults, it is around 0.4%. Unilateral cryptorchidism is more common than bilateral, with a ratio of approximately 5:1. Testes that remain in the abdominal or inguinal region due to high temperatures compared to the scrotum, if exposed to this environment for a long time, can lead to poor development, atrophy of seminiferous tubules, and impaired spermatogenesis. Over time, in young adulthood, cryptorchid testes may even develop into testicular tumors. Therefore, early treatment to return the testes to the scrotum is recommended to avoid complications.One or both testes may atrophy in the scrotum, with no testes palpable within the scrotum. In the inguinal region, a testis-like mass may be palpable, or symptoms of inguinal hernia may be present. If the cryptorchid testes have become malignant, a mass may sometimes be palpable in the abdomen or inguinal region. In adults with bilateral cryptorchidism, male infertility may occur.
Hormonal therapy and surgical treatment.
Cryptorchidism should be treated with orchiopexy before the age of 2, with the latest not exceeding 5–6 years.
If the cryptorchid testes are located in the inguinal region, they can be palpated during the physical examination, and no special localization tests are needed. If necessary