Long-term testicular position and growth of acquired
undescended testis after prepubertal orchidopexy
Annebeth Meij-de Vries
a,
⁎
, Joery Goede
b
, Laszla van der Voort
b
, Hugo A. Heij
c
,
Robert W. Meijer
a
, Wilfried W.M. Hack
b
a
Department of Surgery Wilhelminalaan, Medical Centre Alkmaar, 12 1815 JD Alkmaar, The Netherlands
b
Department of Paediatrics, Medical Centre Alkmaar, 12 1815 JD Alkmaar, The Netherlands
c
Paediatric Surgical Centre of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Received 9 June 2011; revised 29 September 2011; accepted 23 October 2011
Key words:
Acquired undescended
testis;
Prepubertal orchidopexy;
Follow-up;
Position;
Volume
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine long-term testicular position and growth of acquired
undescended testis (UDT) after prepubertal orchidopexy.
Methods: Patients who had undergone prepubertal orchidopexy for acquired UDT at our hospital
between 1986 and 1999 were recruited to assess long-term testicular position and volume. Testis
position was assessed by physical examination. Testis volume was measured with Prader orchidometry
and ultrasound and was compared with normative values reported in the literature.
Results: A total of 105 patients (aged 14.0-31.6 years) were included with 137 acquired UDT (32
bilateral, 33 left sided, and 40 right sided). All but 1 of the orchidopexied testes (99.3%) were in low
scrotal position. The mean volume of the orchidopexied testes in unilateral UDT (n = 73, 10.57 ± 3.74
mL) differed significantly from the size of the testes at the contralateral side (14.11 ± 4.23 mL) (P = .000).
The operated testes (10.28 ± 3.45 mL) were smaller than the mean adult testis volume reported in the
literature (13.4-13.6 mL; cutoff, 13.2 mL).
Conclusion: Testis position after prepubertal orchidopexy for acquired UDT was nearly always low
scrotal. The volume of the orchidopexied testes was smaller than both the volume of the contralateral
testes and the normative values reported in the literature.
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Undescended testis (UDT) is a common genital abnor-
mality in boys that is categorized into congenital and
acquired forms [1,2]. For congenital UDT, orchidopexy is
advised between 6 and 12 months old [3]. By contrast, it is
still debatable as to what is the best management of acquired
UDT. Some authors recommend orchidopexy at diagnosis
because this would reduce the risk of subsequent infertility
[2,4]. Still, no long-term follow-up data regarding acquired
UDT after prepubertal orchidopexy have yet been published.
Acquired UDT may also be managed with a conservative
attitude; recently, long-term follow-up data regarding this
policy have become available [5-8].
In this study, we assessed long-term testicular position
and growth for acquired UDT after prepubertal orchidopexy.
These data may be helpful in determining the best treatment
for a boy with acquired UDT.
⁎
Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 3172 5484256.
E-mail address: adevries@mca.nl (A. Meij-de Vries).
www.elsevier.com/locate/jpedsurg
0022-3468/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2011.10.073
Journal of Pediatric Surgery (2012) 47, 727–735