[Seminal changes in unilateral cryptorchism: course after orchidopexy. Experimental study]

The present study was conducted to determine the reversibility of the seminal alterations following experimental unilateral cryptorchidism in relation to the time orchiopexy is performed. Two groups of 45 Wistar rats were subjected to mechanical unilateral cryptorchidism followed by prepubertal, early and late orchiopexy, respectively. A third group of 45 animals was subjected to a sham operation. We analyzed the semen obtained separately from both epididymal tails of subgroups of 15 animals at 2.5, 5 and 8 months for the number of spermatozoa, percentage of motile spermatozoa, survival time and the number of heads and tails of loose spermatozoa. The statistical analysis of the results by variance analysis showed that the significant reduction of the number of spermatozoa and the percentage of motile forms observed in the ex-cryptorchid testis at age 2.5 months in both groups of animals that were subjected to a testicular retention had been completely recovered at age 5 months. A significant reduction of the percentage of motile spermatozoa at age 2.5 months was observed in the contralateral testis of animals subjected to a longer period of retention. This alteration was also found normalized at age 5 months. In conclusion, experimentally, pre-pubertal orchiopexy preserves fertility at an adult age, regardless of the timing of the procedure.