Cryptorchidism is the failure of the testicles to descend into the scrotum, also called having hidden or undescended testicles.DownloadleafletGoto:TableofContents1Whatiscryptorchidism?2Recommendationsforcryptorchidism3Symptoms4Diagnosis4.1Physicalexamination5Treatmentofcryptorchidism5.1Hormonaltherapy5.2Orchidopexy6Generalinformationaboutcryptorchidism6.1Whatcausescryptorchidism?6.2Typesofcryptorchidism6.3Follow-upofcryptorchidism6.4FAQsaboutcryptorchidismWhatiscryptorchidism?Thefailureofthetesticles(or“testes”)todescendintothescrotum(theskinsacbelowthepenis)iscalled“cryptorchidism”.Itisalsocalledhavinghiddenorundescendedtesticles.Theconditionisgenerallyuncommonbutoftenaffectsboysbornprematurely.Asamalefoetusgrows,thetesticlesappearintheabdomennearthekidneys.Duringtheseventhmonthofdevelopment,thetesticlesstarttodescendtothegroin.Theyshouldreachtheirfinalpositioninthescrotumby6monthsafterbirth.Thetesticlesmakespermandtestosterone,themalesexhormone.Anundescendedtesticlemayproducehormones,buttheabilitytomakespermisdisrupted.At1yearofage,nearly1%ofallfull-termmaleinfantshavecryptorchidism.Thisisthemostcommonbirthdefectofthesexorgansinnewbornmaleinfants.Usually,onlyonetesticleisaffected,butbothtesticlesareundescendedinabout10%ofchildrenwithcryptorchidism.Fig.1:Incryptorchidism,thetesticlesfailtodescendintothescrotum.Illustrationshowsthepercentageofthetesticlepositioninpatientswithcryptorchidism.RecommendationsforcryptorchidismBoyswithretractiletestes(testiclesthatmaymovebetweenthescrotumandthegroin)donotneedmedicalorsurgicaltreatmentbutrequireclosefollow-upuntilpuberty.Surgerytomovetheundescendedtesticletothescrotumshouldbedoneby1yearofageor18monthsatthelatest.Forboyswithnon-palpabletestesandnoevidentdisordersofsexdevelopment,laparoscopyisthebestwaytofindatesticleintheabdomen.Thetesticlecanberemovedorrepositionedinthesamesession.Hormonaltherapyisnotastandardtreatment,however,insomecasesitisstillused.Olderboyswithonenormaltesticleandonetesticleintheabdomen,removalofthenon