VARIATIONS IN TIMING OF ELECTIVE ORCHIDOPEXY

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Urology
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Cryptorchidism (undescended testis) affects 3% of full-term and up to 33% of premature male newborns.
• Spontaneous testicular descent occurs in some infants, with 1% of one-year-olds diagnosed with cryptorchidism.
• Optimal surgical timing for cryptorchidism is recommended between 12-18 months of age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the age of patients undergoing surgery for congenital undescended testis.
• To evaluate adherence to recommended surgical timelines for cryptorchidism.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of orchidopexy cases from 2007-2014.
• Inclusion of 637 patients (722 procedures) diagnosed with cryptorchidism.
• Analysis of patient age at surgery and place of residence (urban vs. rural).

Main Results:

• Only 22.60% of patients were operated on within the recommended 18-month timeframe.
• Urban patients had a higher rate of timely surgery (28.13%) compared to rural patients (15.46%).
• A significant majority of surgeries for undescended testis occurred outside the optimal age range.

Conclusions:

• Surgical timing for undescended testis in the study period significantly lagged behind expert recommendations.
• There is a clear need for improved information dissemination to pediatricians and parents regarding cryptorchidism and the risks of delayed treatment.
• Enhanced awareness and education are vital to ensure timely surgical intervention for improved patient outcomes.