What Is Cryptorchidism? – Being Parents

Cryptorchidism is a genital problem with an undescended or poorly descended testicle. If treatment is not given on time, it can become extremely harmful to the child in the future.

This genital development disorder does not appear on prenatal ultrasound until the first 28 weeks of gestation. For this reason, to detect it in time, a transinguinal migration must be carried out.

What are the causes of the appearance of cryptorchidism?

Cryptorchidism is one of the most common disorders in children, and the factors for its occurrence are very diverse, since there is no exact cause. Here are some of the most common things a child may have this problem with:

• Low birth weight : This mainly happens when the baby is premature. Weight is considered low when it is less than 2.5 kilograms.

• Premature birth : these are the cases in which the baby is born before the mother reaches 37 weeks of pregnancy.
• Small size for gestational age : the baby is considered smaller than it should be.
• Maternal exposure to estrogen during the first month of pregnancy : This is due to normal physical changes that have occurred during the first month of pregnancy.
• Intra-abdominal pressure : related to the pressure that occurs in the abdominal cavity over 10 centimeters.
• Abdominal Wall Defects: A group of birth defects that represent heterogeneous defects causing herniation or evisceration of one or more organs of the abdominal cavity.

Diagnosis of cryptorchidism

The most common way to find out the diagnosis of this disorder is to see the doctor. You can also examine your baby yourself. This is done by palpating the scrotum.

If the scrotum is empty, we follow the inguinal canal with the index finger from top to bottom to determine by touch the location of the testicle. If the testes have not descended properly or are ectopic, the probability of detecting it will be 80%.

This examination should be carried out on a routine basis. Although it is very effective, it can sometimes happen what is called false cryptorchidism, caused by a cremasteric reflex. Sometimes an abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can be done to locate the testicle.

Types of cryptorchidism

There are different types of cryptorchidism. The pediatrician, according to his assessment, will be responsible for determining the treatment to be followed based on the results.

These are the types of this disorder that exist:

• Oscillating testis or lift testis : This is said when the testicle is not in the scrotum, but can be lowered manually. It requires constant evaluation.
• Testicular ectopia : occurs when the testis is outside the inguinal canal. It usually appears in another location and can be seen under the skin.
• Acquired undescended testicles : at first they were not in the scrotum, but descended in the first year of life and then returned. This type of disorder requires follow-up until the age of 10 years.

• Missing testes : In this type of disorder, the testicle is not located in the scrotum or in the inguinal canal or in the abdomen. In this case, ultrasound or surgical exploration is necessary.
• True cryptorchidism : occurs when the testis is not in the scrotum and can be felt in the inguinal canal, but is impossible to descend.

Treatment of cryptorchidism

Most cryptorchidism resolve on their own within the first year. That is why it is recommended to only examine the child and to check from time to time whether the testicles descend on their own. If this still does not happen after a year, treatment should be considered, which may be hormonal or surgical.

Hormonal treatment

Nowadays, this treatment is the least common. It consists of the intramuscular administration of a hormone which promotes the descent of the testicle towards the scrotum.

This treatment has the negative point that its results are not always effective, as there is a high probability that the testicle will rise again after the treatment. In addition, this type of treatment is not without side effects.

Surgical treatment

It is the most effective treatment today. It involves lowering the testicle to the scrotum through an intervention called orchidopexy. It is recommended to perform this intervention before the age of 18 months: the chances of success of this intervention are rather high.

Complications of cryptorchidism

If this problem is not treated in time, it can significantly affect the health of the child. This is why it is recommended to act quickly if the child is suspected of having this genital anomaly. Here are some of the complications that can arise:

• Infertility.
• Increased risk of developing testicular cancer.
• Testicular torsion.
• Inguinal hernia.

Cryptorchidism can be very damaging to children if it is not treated in time. That is why parents should pay special attention to this if there is any suspicion that the child is suffering from this problem. Quickly contacting the treating physician would make it possible to carry out the appropriate checks without further delay.