Undescended testicle disease, which can be seen 3 times more frequently in preterm babies compared to term babies, is one of the main causes of male infertility.

What conditions are called undescended testicles?

If the testis cannot be lowered down to where it should be, even though it descends to the upper half of the scrotum on its own, this is called an undescended testis. Likewise, if it can be lowered to the upper half of the bag, but it cannot stop and escapes upwards, this is an undescended testicle. Retractile testis, on the other hand, is the retention of the testis that can be lowered into the bag in the upper or lower half of the bag. In these cases, if the undescended testicles are not lowered to the place where they should be before the age of 2, the chance of paternity decreases considerably.

Familial predisposition may increase the risk percentage in undescended testis, which is the most common congenital anomaly of the genito-urinary system. Although unilateral undescended testicles are generally seen in infants, in some cases both scrotum may be empty. This situation can be detected with ultrasound or MRI, and where the testicles are can be determined. While it can be ensured that the testicles enter the bags with drug treatment, surgical procedures are used in cases where it cannot be lowered.

How does the treatment take place?

In the treatment, besides reducing or eliminating the possibility of infertility, reducing the risk of testicular cancer, testicular; It is also aimed to place it in a place that will enable the detection of a mass that may occur, to reduce the risk of testicular torsion and to repair hernia. In addition to the operation, which increases the success rate of babies between 6 and 12 months of age, hormone therapy can be one of the options applied.

Hormone therapy has risks for some groups. Therefore, it should not be performed in newborns, in those who have had previous unsuccessful operations, in cases of ectopic testis, in those who have undergone inguinal surgery, in those with Prune-belly Syndrome, and in the endocrinologically normal post-pubertal group. Although this method, which can achieve around 10 percent success, is not a frequently preferred technique, research on it continues.