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The role of laparoscopy in the management of the impalpable testicle
1Department of Surgery, University College Hospital, Galway, Ireland. drdavidgalvin@hotmail.com
Background:
Laparoscopy can identify patients who would benefit from further surgical intervention. Most importantly it is 100% sensitive in identifying the vanishing testicle.
Aims:
To review the role of laparoscopy in the management of the undescended testis.
Methods:
Thirty-one patients underwent a laparoscopy for an impalpable testicle over a nine-year period at this institution.
Results:
There were 30 successful laparoscopies completed for 31 impalpable testes,13 of which were normal. All underwent groin exploration of which 11 were located. Seventeen had an abnormal laparoscopy. Of these, 11 were located in the abdomen and four were diagnosed as vanishing testes.
Discussion:
Sixteen per cent of patients had an absent testicle at laparoscopy and were spared any further surgical intervention. In the remaining 84%, over half had their surgical procedure altered as a result of the laparoscopic findings. This experience, has led us to believe that laparoscopy is a safe, reliable and sensitive procedure crucial to the management of the impalpable testis.
