Transverse testicular ectopia

Abstract

In transverse or crossed testicular ectopia, the affected gonad lies in the same canal as the normally descended testis. During a 5-yr span, three children with this form of ectopia were seen. All presented with a symptomatic right inguinal hernia and an empty scrotum on the left side. The ages at operation were 1, 3, and 5 mo. Only the first patient was reoperated. In this child, the diagnosis of transverse testicular ectopia was made during the herniorrhaphy and the ectopic, but otherwise normal, gonad returned to the abdominal cavity. A subsequent left orchidopexy through a celiotomy was done. In the last two patients, the correct diagnosis was made preoperatively. Both gonads were of equal size and normal, occupying the same hemiscrotum. A herniorrhaphy with fixation of the ectopic gonad to the opposite hemiscrotum was done in both. All three children are otherwise normal. Cases collected from the literature are discussed. The condition should be suspected if a unilateral hernia is associated with a contralateral, nonpalpable testis and may not be as rare as formerly thought.