[Hormonal therapy for undescended testes: an outdated concept?]

For decades, hormonal therapy was considered an integral part of the treatment regimen for undescended testes, particularly in Europe. However, the available data are controversial. According to many studies and a large meta-analysis, testicular descent can only be achieved in approximately 20 % of cases, whereas a few small studies report better results. Improvement of fertility is also considered significant in some studies, while others even report detrimental effects. Meanwhile, the recommendations for the use of hormonal therapy have been removed from most international guidelines. In Germany, hormonal therapy is only recommended for a limited number of indications. It is widely accepted that hormonal therapy has no particular value in the induction of testicular descent, and even the possible improvement of fertility in cases of bilateral undescended testes is regarded with some caution. In light of the controversial and weak data, it is questionable if hormonal therapy should still be recommended.