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Abstract
Purpose
Postoperative longterm followup studies after orchiopexy are rare as compared for other studies such as for histological changes and proper operative age. We analyzed the five-year longterm followup results after orchiopexy, expecting a proper prognosis of testicular growth.
Materials and Methods
A total of 57 patients were selected from a followup study in 211 boys who underwent orchiopexy between January 1999 and July 2001. Patients were divided in several categories (operation age, testis consistency, pre-operational position of the testis) and were analyzed by examination of the previous medical records, preoperative and postoperative testicular volume (measured by ultrasonography), followup history taking, and from a physical examination.
Results
For the 57 patients, 14 patients had bilateral and 43 patients had unilateral cryptorchidism. All of the cryptorchid testes were smaller than a normal testis in the unilateral group of patients as determined by testis ultrasonography. Sorting by operation age, only patients that received orchiopexy within two years from birth showed a significant recovery of testicular volume percentage (operated testis/normal testis x100%: in the unilateral group) at followup. Sorting by consistency, the patients with normal testicular consistency showed a significant recovery of testicular volume percentage (operated testis/normal testis x100%: in the unilateral group) at followup. Sorting by the preoperative position of the testis, the proximity of the testis to the scrotum was a significant factor for recovery of delayed cryptorchid testicular growth.
Conclusions
Orchiopexy performed at less than two years from birth and the proximity of the testis to the scrotum were significant factors for recovery of delayed cryptorchid testicular growth. Consistency of a cryptorchid testis can be a meaningful factor for expectation of testicular growth by the establishment of an objective measurement for testicular consistency and studies for histological correlation.
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Fig. 2.
Comparison of the percentage of the operated testicular volume to the normal testis volume in the unilateral group, sorted by operation age.
Fig. 3.
Comparison of the percentage of the operated testicular volume to the normal testis volume in the unilateral group, sorted by testicular consistency.
Fig. 4.
The testicular volume growth rate of a total of 69 operated testicular units, sorted by testicular position.
Fig. 5.
A comparison of the percentage of the operated testicular volume to the normal testis volume in the unilateral group, sorted by testicular position.
Table 1.
Patient mean age and followup duration
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