Undescended Testes (Cryptorchidism)

Undescended testes is a ccmmon disorder. It may be unilateral and may be classified as ectopic cryptorchidism, when the testes are normal in size with a good length of spermatic cord, but have diverged from the normal path and are unable to enter into the scrotum; or true cryptorchidism, when the testes are arrested in the line of normal descent. In true cryptorchidism the testes are often small, ill-formed and relatively immobile with a short spermatic cord. A small percentage of term male newborns and many of the pre-term males have undescended testes at birth. In many cases the testes will descend by the second month with full descent by puberty. If cryptorchidism persist into adult life, failure of spermatogenesis occurs but testicular androgen production usually remains intact. Other complications possibly include trauma, torsion and tumours.