Patient's question:
Expert, hello. I am currently 27 years old. I have a left undescended testicle. Since childhood until now, I have undergone ultrasound examinations at the ages of 10, 24, and 26, but none of them detected it. The doctor said that since it was not found, surgery cannot be performed.Now, I would like to ask if surgery is possible at this age and where I should go for it.
Additionally, I currently reside in Guangzhou. My right testicle is oval-shaped, and my sexual development is normal, with normal sexual function.
I hope to receive a brief response as soon as possible. Thank you.
Doctor's answer:
Undescended testes refer to a condition where one or both testicles of a male infant do not descend into the scrotum and remain at any point in their normal descent process. In other words, there are no testicles in the scrotum, or only one side has a testicle. There are two theories explaining the causes of undescended testes:1. Endocrine factors: If the mother's chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels are insufficient or the testicles themselves have defects and do not respond to this hormone, it often leads to bilateral undescended testes.
2. Mechanical factors: Such as excessively short spermatic cord blood vessels, poor development of the gubernaculum or inguinal canal, adhesions between the testicles and retroperitoneal tissues, or variations in the cremaster muscle, which obstruct the descent of the testes. This condition often results in unilateral undescended testes.
If a patient has an XY chromosome pattern, elevated serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), decreased serum testosterone (T), and no response in testosterone levels to stimulation by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), it indicates bilateral absence of testes, and surgical exploration is not necessary.
If any symptoms arise, it is recommended to seek medical attention promptly to avoid delaying the condition and affecting fertility.