Long-term testicular volume after orchiopexy at diagnosis of acquired undescended testis

Abstract

Purpose: We studied long-term outcomes of orchiopexy at diagnosis of acquired undescended testes using ultrasound to determine testicular volume.

Materials and methods: Patients who had undergone orchiopexy for acquired undescended testis at diagnosis were recruited to assess testicular volume. Testis volume was measured by ultrasound and compared with recently developed normative values for testicular size. For young adults (older than 18 years) volumes were grouped and compared to normative values reported in the literature. In all unilateral cases testicular volume was compared with its counterpart.

Results: A total of 155 patients 5.1 to 26.6 years old (181 acquired undescended testes) were included in the study. Mean ± SD followup was 6.6 ± 3.8 years (range 1.4 to 15.5). For all patients 18 years old or younger (125 patients, 143 testes) operated testis volume was 0.1 to 12.7 ml (mean ± SD 2.5 ± 2.9), which was significantly smaller than the normative values (50th percentile) for the same age (p <0.001). Mean ± SD testis volume in young adults (38 testes) was 8.1 ± 3.7 ml, compared to a mean volume of 13.4 ml reported in the literature (p <0.001). In unilateral cases the mean volume of the testes fixed by orchiopexy differed significantly from their counterparts (3.4 ± 3.3 ml vs 4.6 ± 4.6 ml, p <0.001).

Conclusions: The long-term volumes at diagnosis of acquired undescended testes after orchiopexy were significantly less than the normative values at all ages. In unilateral cases the volumes were also significantly less compared to the contralateral testes.