Signs of undescended testicles in children

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vo Thien Ngon - Urologist, Department of General Surgery, Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.

Undescended testicles are becoming a concern of parents for their children. Recognizing the signs will help parents detect abnormalities in their children.

Undescended testicles in newborns is the process where the testicles cannot move from the abdomen to the scrotum when there is a disturbance of a certain factor.
Common disorders include:
Decreased pituitary gland causing lack of gonadotropin causing undescended testicles and small penis. There is an abnormality in the synthesis of Testosterone that causes the testes to not develop normally. Decreased sensing ability of Androgen receptors: affecting the development of male sexual function, causing undescended testes.

If a pregnant woman takes a lot of Diethylstilbestrol or uses an anti-androgen, the fetus is at risk of undescended testicles. Abnormal development of the testicular-scrotal ligament causes the testicles to hang overhead, unable to descend to the scrotum. In addition, it can also be due to mechanical factors that hinder the movement of the testicles such as: short pedicle of the testicle, fibrosis in the inguinal canal...

Some symptoms of undescended testicles in boys are often seen:
There is no testicle in the scrotum or a tumor is palpable in the inguinal canal. The scrotum is underdeveloped, the higher the hidden testicle, the less developed the scrotum. The child feels only one testicle. Causes may be due to: Children with testicular retraction: the testicles move up and down between the scrotum and groin, can easily descend into the scrotum again on examination. This is not unusual and is caused by the scrotal reflex. The child's testicle is ascending or undescended: that is, the testicle is back in the groin and cannot be reached with a hand to descend into the scrotum. When examined by abdominal ultrasound, abdominal computed tomography or laparoscopy can accurately locate the undescended testicle. In addition, it is also possible to detect other abnormalities of the testicles such as testicular tumor, testicular parenchymal calcification...

HCG test: is a test used to determine whether testicles are present or absent in cases where both testicles are not palpable. In addition, the child can also have hormone tests: LH, FSH, prolactin, estradiol and testosterone to diagnose undescended testicles.

Research has shown that children with undescended testicles, the diameter of the seminiferous tubules are smaller, the degree of testicular fibrosis is also higher; Histological changes in the undescended testicles can affect spermatozoa causing infertility.
If the patient has only one undescended testicle, it is still possible to have children. But they are at risk due to the increased risk of undescended testicle cancer and many other risks.
It can be said that this is an extremely dangerous disease for children if not treated in time. Therefore, when detecting abnormalities in the testicles of children, parents should take their children to be examined at medical facilities for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Currently, the technique of sacral anesthesia is one of the techniques used to treat undescended testicles at Vinmec Danang Hospital.
This is a regional anesthetic technique that is performed by introducing local anesthetic into the epidural space through the sacral cleft and sacral canal. Helps relieve pain during and after surgery for almost all surgical interventions on the lower abdomen and lower extremities such as: Surgery of undescended testicle, inguinal hernia, hydrocele in children. Therefore, sacral anesthesia is also known as transsacral epidural.