Cryptorchidism occurs when the one or both testicles do not descend into the scrotum while the fetus is developing. It is about five times more ...Whatiscryptorchidism,oranundescendedtesticle?WrittenbyAdamFelmanonSeptember24,2018AboutSymptomsRiskfactorsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsAnundescendedtesticlehasnotmovedintothescrotum,thebagofskinthathangsbehindthepenis,duringthedevelopmentofafetus.TheAmericanUrologicalAssociationreportthat3–4percentoffull-termmalenewbornsand21percentofthosebornprematurelyhaveanundescendedtesticle.Usually,onlyonetesticledoesnotdescend.Bothareundescendedin10percentofcases.Themoreformalmedicaltermfortesticlesthatdonotdescendiscryptorchidism.Itisoneofthemostcommonendocrineproblemsinnewbornmalesandthemostcommongenitalconditionthatdoctorscanidentifyatbirth.Cryptorchidismoftencorrectsitselfwithinafewmonthsofbirth.However,aninfantsometimesneedssurgerytorelocatethetesticletothescrotum.Thisarticleexploresthecausesofcryptorchidism,riskfactors,andtreatmentmethods.Whatiscryptorchidism?ShareonPinterestThetesticlesshoulddescendintothescrotumwhilethefetusisdeveloping.Cryptorchidismoccurswhenoneorbothofthetesticlesdonotdescendintothescrotumwhilethefetusisdeveloping.Duringgestation,thetesticlesformintheabdomenandgraduallydropthroughtheinguinalcanalintothescrotumataroundmonth8ofpregnancy.Thescrotumisasmallpouch,orsac,ofskinthathangsbehindthepenis.Thetesticlesareoval-shapedorgansthatformpartofthemalereproductivesystem.Thetesticlesproducespermcells,whicharevitaltoreproduction.Theyalsomaketestosterone,ahormonethatplaysakeyroleinmalesexualdevelopment.SymptomsUndescendedtesticlesmaybepalpableorunpalpable.Palpablemeansthatadoctorwillbeabletofeeltheundescendedtesticleduringaphysicalexamination.About80percentofundescendedtesticlesarepalpable.Thetesticleisusuallylocatedattheendoftheinguinalcanal,achannelthatcarriesthespermaticcordtowardsthepenisandscrotum.Ifadoctorcannotfeeltheundescendedtesticle,itisunpalpable,anditmaybe:Abdominal:Theleastcommonlocationforan