It refers to the existence of a testicle inside the abdomen that has not descended correctly into the scrotal sac. It can be unilateral or bilateral. Furthermore, it affects up to 3% of term newborns and up to 30% of premature infants.
Although the cause is unknown, predisposing factors have been described: premature infant, low birth weight, twin pregnancies and maternal exposure to estrogens during the first trimester of pregnancy.
The only symptom is the absence of a testicle in the scrotal sac. It is therefore diagnosed during routine pediatrician's visits when the newborn is examined.
Sometimes imaging tests can be performed to confirm the diagnosis, such as computed tomography and/or abdominal ultrasound.
They usually go down on their own during the first year of life without requiring treatment. If it does not descend, hormone injections (B-HCG or testosterone) or surgery by performing an orchiopexy can be used. The earlier the surgery, the more it reduces the risk of cancer, sterility and improves the final size.
- Wood HM, Elder JS. Cryptorchidism and testicular cancer: separating fact from fiction. J Urol 2009; 181:452.
- Kollin C, Granholm T, Nordenskjöld A, Ritzén EM. Growth of spontaneously descended and surgically treated testes during early childhood. Pediatrics 2013; 131:e1174.
- Kollin C, Karpe B, Hesser U, et al. Surgical treatment of unilaterally undescended testes: testicular growth after randomization to orchiopexy at age 9 months or 3 years. J Urol 2007;178:1589.
- SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Testis. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/testis.html (Accessed on April 16, 2013).
- Lip SZ, Murchison LE, Cullis PS, et al. A meta-analysis of the risk of boys with isolated cryptorchidism developing testicular cancer in later life. Arch Dis Child 2013; 98:20.
- Ludwikowski B, González R. The controversy regarding the need for hormonal treatment in boys with unilateral cryptorchidism goes on: a review of the literature. Eur J Pediatr 2013; 172:5.
