Management of undescended testes in adolescents and young adults

Abstract

Background: The undescended testes (UDT) are at risk of torsion, trauma and pathologic changes leading to subfertility and malignant transformation. Surgery for UDT should be performed before the age of 2 years.Methods: This was a 5-year retrospective study conducted on patients who presented with features of UDT in Port Harcourt. Ethical approval for the study was sought and gotten from the hospital ethical committee. Data was obtained from ward admission registers, theatre, and discharge records. The information gotten included history, examination findings and treatment received. Patients who had ectopic testes, retractile testes and incomplete records were excluded from the study. The information was collected and analysed. Categorical data was presented in the form of frequencies and percentages using tables. Continuous variables were presented in means and standard deviation. Results were presented in tables and charts.Results: The 15-19-year age group had the highest frequency. The median age was 19 years. Most subjects had at least secondary school education (71.43%). The right testes alone were undescended in 11 cases while the left alone was undescended in 7 cases. Three patients presented with undescended testes. Most (15) patients had their testes located in the inguinal canal. Poverty was the most common reason for late presentation. Orchidopexy was most commonly carried out via an inguinal approach.Conclusions: Late presentation of patients with UDT is common. Inguinal orchidopexy was the most common surgery performed. Health education on the need for scrotal examination after birth can aid earlier presentation.