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An absent testis is associated with contralateral testicular hypertrophy
D S Huff1, H M Snyder, F Hadziselimovic
1Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine, Camden, New Jersey.
The Journal of Urology
|August 1, 1992
Summary
In boys with an impalpable testis, the contralateral descended testis volume is larger when the testis is absent. However, this size difference is not a reliable diagnostic tool.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Andrology
- Surgical Diagnosis
Background:
- Unilateral impalpable testes in boys present a diagnostic challenge.
- Distinguishing absent testes from intra-abdominal testes is crucial for appropriate management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if the volume of the contralateral descended testis can reliably differentiate absent testes from intra-abdominal testes in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Surgical exploration was performed on 109 boys (birth to 9 years) with unilateral impalpable testes.
- Testicular volume of the contralateral descended testis was calculated from its dimensions measured during open biopsy.
Main Results:
- Boys with absent testes had significantly larger contralateral descended testes than those with intra-abdominal testes (p=0.0019 to 0.0117) up to age 4.
- Significant overlap in testicular volumes between the two groups was observed, with standard deviations ranging from 27% to 74% of the means.
Conclusions:
- Contralateral descended testis volume is not a reliable differentiator between absent and intra-abdominal testes in boys with unilateral impalpable testes.
- Surgical exploration remains the gold standard for diagnosing absent testes in this patient population.