my son has has surgery to lower his testicles which were undescended.
he is 5 years old . the testicles were small and we now are looking for advice as to any treatments to follow to increase chances for testicle survival.
would hormone injections be helpfull or does anyone have a solution to help us.
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DearDon,
Cryptorchidism is a common disorder, affecting 3 to 6% of male newborns and 0.8 to 1.6% of 1 year-old infants. Important long-term sequelae of cryptorchidism include infertility and testicular tumor. Therefore, orchidopexy is recommended when the child is 12-18 months old, and certainly before the age of puberty. Some physicians recommend injections before surgery to attempt a “medical “ orchiopexy. The results in one sided undescended testis in particular are not good. There are some inconclusive European studies that involve giving hormones post-operatively. The medications given are not available in this country at this time. Small or atrophic testicles after an orchidopexy are a common findings. This may be the result of diminished blood supply. Many times the testis needs to be manipulated to gain enough length from the testicles pro-operative position to its eventual resting place within the scrotum. The testes that was brought down may not be composed of tissue with the usual potential (possibly accounting for its failure to descend) and therefore will not grow to the usual size. I don’t know of any therapy or treatments that can be performed to increase the size of the testis. However, it will probably grow as all testicles do during puberty. Note that testes do not grow much before puberty. The important thing is that the testicles are in the scrotum and can be evaluated for any future problems. You should continue to follow-up with your doctors on a periodic basis and have the testicles checked.
This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).
Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-AK
*keyword:Undescended Testis
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