Ascent of the testis in children

Among 460 children who had an orchiopexy (ORP), we identified 72 children who had attended our institution 1-12 years earlier and in whom the testicular position had been specified. Of the 72 boys 19 were had ascended testes (26%). The age at ORP of the children with ascent of the testes was 7.0 years (1.8-14.0 years). Light and electron microscopy of 13 testicular biopsies taken at ORP, showed alterations of germ cells and Sertoli cells, similar but less pronounced than alterations seen in congenital undescended testes. Conclusion. A normally positioned testis may ascend into the inguinal region or upper scrotum and remain there fixed. This secondary cryptorchidism does not usually respond to human chorionic gonadotropin treatment and must be corrected by orchiopexy.