The baby boy’s testes (testicles) develop inside the belly before delivery. Organs pass through a groin canal closer to birth. When everything goes according to plan, the testicles then settle into the scrotum, the skin bag under the penis. One or both testicles may not reach the scrotum before birth in some males, particularly those born prematurely. Doctors refer to this critical condition as undescended testicles. The testicles may occasionally fall out on their own in infants born with this disease; this usually happens by six months of age. In other situations, patients require medical intervention or surgery.

Undescended testicle is one of the most common congenital anomalies in males that develops at birth. Nearly 1 to 3 % of the boys have this condition at birth. Boys born with this condition weigh quite less at birth (below 5 pounds). Orchiopexy is the best surgical procedure for the treatment of undescended testicles.

Types of Surgery for Undescended Testicles

On acquiring this critical condition, surgery may be the solution to find the problem and treat it. Mainly there are 2 types of surgery known as :

1. Laparoscopy

The surgeon does laparoscopic surgery treatment in order to locate a testicle in the abdominal region by inserting a tiny tube with a camera attached through a small incision.

2. Open surgery

A deep cut is made to examine inside the stomach or groin to find out the unhealthy testicle.

Is Undescended Testicles a Serious Condition?

If left untreated this ill-health can pose a threat in future. They may impact the health of your child’s sperm and diminish their testosterone levels. Additionally, your child may be somewhat more likely to develop testicular cancer, with or without treatment. Treatment in the initial stages greatly reduces the risk.

Undescended Testicles Surgery Procedure

Once your child is beyond the age of 6 months, doctors should refer them for treatment because the chances of the testicle coming back into the scrotum are slim. Normally, orchiopexy is carried out before a child reaches 18 months.

Anesthesia and its risks should also be taken into consideration and discussed with the doctor.

1) Pre Surgery

An individual must visit a healthcare provider to get their overall health evaluated.
Discuss with your doctor if you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
Avoid the intake of medications that increase the risk of bleeding that include aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs.
The hospital staff will give you special instructions on how to provide food or liquids for your infant before the medical procedure. Most patients should avoid eating or drinking anything during orchiopexy preparation. Prescriptions should be taken with a little sip of water.
Your groin can be carefully cleansed the day before surgery. This helps to reduce infectious risk in patients.

2) During Surgery

Health care team gives general anesthesia to alleviate the pain during the surgery.
A surgical knife or scalpel makes a specific cut in the groin area to locate the undescended testicle and spermatic cord. Doctors check this testicle for its health.
A small cut is also made into the child’s scrotum to create pockets that will hold the testicles together. If the doctor finds out these testicles do not work properly, they may get rid of them completely.
The testicles will be connected to the scrotum when they are healthy. Once the medical procedure is completed, the open cut is closed with stitches.

3) Post Surgery

The stitches should be properly covered with a tape and a bandage. Once the child has fully recovered his consciousness that may take 2 to 3 hours, he may proceed to his home.

The surgeon will monitor the growth of the testicles to see its progress. This can include:

Physical exams
Ultrasound of the scrotum
Hormonal level tests

Cost of this Surgery

Cost for this medical procedure varies from country to country. The cost associated with the surgery include:

Prevailing medical condition
Imaging tests
Hospital location and the surgeon’ s experience
Post- surgery drug

In India this medical procedure may cost you from INR 60,000 to 1, 20,000, or about USD 900 to 1,600. Miscellaneous costs, such as hospital stay, post-surgery follow-up visits can all add up to the cost.

To conclude it is advisable to go ahead with this medical procedure before your child reaches 12 months old. If not treated early, it can give rise to problems such as testicular cancer and fertility issues can also be a threat.

Benefits of this Medical Surgery

Having surgery at an early stage prevents injury to a male’s testicles that can lead to infertility. Some advantages of this procedure include:

It places a testicle in the proper position in the scrotum, lowering the risk of injury from sports, seat belts, tight clothing, and so on.
This approach minimizes the chance of testicular cancer in children and gives them a better sensation in their body.
It is a safe and effective medication that minimizes negative effects while improving patients’ health and fertility.

Risks or Health Complications with this Surgery

Any medical surgery has complications, some of which are mentioned as:

Bleeding or bruising at the area of the incision.
Swelling or bulging in the groin area.
Children with undescended testicles are more likely to develop testicular cancer, even after curative surgery at a later stage in their life.
Testicles that are not brought into the scrotum at a young age will not produce sperm and infertility may be a serious threat in future.

Care at Home

Once your infant has undergone the surgery, you need to bear in mind the following:

When the child is hungry, give him food and water.
To relieve pain you can give the child acetaminophen.
You should refrain from certain activities like playing on the swing for at least 2 weeks.
Two days after the procedure, the child can be given a bath.
The scrotum may look dilapidated prior to surgery, but will slowly come to normal appearance in nearly 20 days. Within 6 months the cut will become smooth and intact.
Follow up with the doctor should be done after 2 weeks of the surgery.