Definition of Undescended testicle repair:

Undescended testicle repair is surgery to correct testicles that have not dropped down into the correct position in the scrotum.

See also: Undescended testicle

Description:

As a baby grows in the womb, the testicles develop in the infant's abdomen. They drop down into the scrotum during the last months before birth.

In some newborns, however, one or both testicles do not move down into the correct position. About half of these cases will descend within the first year of life without medical treatment.

Undescended testicle repair surgery is recommended for patients whose testicles do not descend on their own.

The surgery is done while the child is asleep (unconscious) and pain-free under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes a cut in the groin, where most undescended testes are located.

After finding the cord that holds the testis in the scrotum, the surgeon unties it from the tissue around it so that the cord's full length is used. A small cut is made in the scrotum, and a pouch is created. The testicle is carefully pulled down into the scrotum, and stitched into place. Stitches are used to close any surgical cuts.

In some cases, the procedure can be done laparoscopically, which involves smaller surgical cuts.

Why the Procedure Is Performed:

This surgery is recommended for infants older than 1 year whose testicles have not descended into the scrotum (cryptorchidism).

An undescended testicle is different from a "retractile" testicle, in which the testicle drops into the scrotum and then pulls back. Retractile testicles do not need surgery.