Consequences of bilateral cryptorchidism in adults

Andrologia. 2016 Nov;48(9):933-938. doi: 10.1111/and.12534. Epub 2016 Jan 14.

Abstract

Bilateral cryptorchidism treatment results are often shadowed by the majority of unilateral cases. We report the long-term follow-up results of boys treated for bilateral cryptorchidism during childhood. Patients treated in two main paediatric surgery centres were selected from medical registries and invited for a clinical examination including scrotal ultrasound, salivary testosterone measurement and a semen sample. Thirty-six men (38.3%) replied to the written invitation, and 21 agreed to be examined. The mean age at orchidopexy was 74 months (range 24-138). Sperm count was 0.42 × 106 (SD ± 0.64 × 106 ) ml-1 . The correlation between total testicular volume and total sperm count was statistically significant (r = 0.481; P = 0.032). These results show that surgical treatment of bilateral cryptorchidism after the age of 2 years does not prevent infertility. Sperm count and endocrine evaluation advocated after the treatment of bilateral cryptorchidism in all adult patients.

Keywords: Cryptorchidism; fertility; orchidopexy; semen analysis.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cryptorchidism / pathology
  • Cryptorchidism / physiopathology
  • Cryptorchidism / surgery*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male / prevention & control
  • Libido
  • Male
  • Orchiopexy
  • Saliva / metabolism
  • Sperm Count
  • Testis / diagnostic imaging
  • Testis / pathology
  • Testosterone / metabolism
  • Ultrasonography
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Testosterone