Information

Cryptorchidism is a condition in which one or both of a boy's testes have not permanently descended into the scrotum after the child's first year of life.

To assess cryptorchidism, doctors wait until the child stands up and begins walking, which usually happens between one year and one year and two to three months of age. If the testis is located in the inguinal canal or is of the "elevator" type, it is surgically fixed permanently in the scrotum, using an extremely atraumatic and aesthetically favorable method.

No scar from the surgical intervention is visible, since it is performed through a skin fold between the scrotum and the penis, and the skin is glued closed after the surgery. In cases where the testis cannot be found either in the scrotum or along the course of the inguinal canal, this is referred to as a so-called non-palpable testis. In these cases, the "gold standard" is laparoscopic treatment. In these cases, the testis is located within the child's abdomen and cannot descend into the scrotum on its own due to short feeding vessels. Laparoscopic treatment is carried out in two stages, 6 months apart, in this way minimizing the risk of disrupting the testis's blood supply.

It is extremely important that both testes have permanently descended into the scrotal sac by no later than 18 months of age.

Remaining in the body at a higher temperature adversely affects their proper functioning and reproductive capacity, and over time can become a cause of infertility.