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The referral pattern for undescended testes in Auckland
V Upadhyay1, M Kothari, M Manoharan
1Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland. vipulu@ahsl.co.nz
The New Zealand Medical Journal
|September 15, 2001
Summary
Delayed diagnosis and treatment of undescended testes are common. Increased awareness among healthcare providers is crucial for timely orchiopexy in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
Background:
- Undescended testes (cryptorchidism) require timely surgical correction (orchiopexy).
- Understanding referral patterns and age at diagnosis is key to optimizing outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To audit the age at orchiopexy.
- To analyze patient referral patterns concerning age.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of hospital records for orchiopexy procedures.
- Data extraction from hospital database using procedure codes.
- Calculation of mean and median ages at referral and surgical intervention.
Main Results:
- Mean age at referral was 42.6 months (median 23 months).
- Mean time from clinic visit to referral (T1) was 2.6 months.
- Mean time from clinic visit to operation (T2) was 7.0 months.
Conclusions:
- Significant delays exist in the referral and treatment of undescended testes.
- There is a need to enhance awareness regarding undescended testes among healthcare professionals involved in pediatric care.