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Anorchia - Symptom

Alternative Names

Vanishing testes - anorchia; Empty scrotum - anorchia; Scrotum - empty (anorchia)

Symptoms:

Normal outside genitals before puberty
Failure to start puberty at the correct time and lack of secondary sex characteristics (penis and pubic hair growth, deepening of the voice, and increase in muscle mass)

Signs and tests:

Signs include:

Empty scrotum
Lack of secondary sex characteristics

Tests include:

Anti-Mullerian hormone levels
Bone density
FSH and LH levels
Surgery to look for male reproductive tissue
Testosterone levels (low)
Ultrasound or MRI
X,Y karyotype

Male reproductive anatomy

Male reproductive system

Reviewed last on: 9/7/2008
Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Rapaport R. Hypofunction of the testes. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 584.

Sigman M, Jarrow JP. Male infertility. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 19.

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