Undesended testis: How extensive should the work up be?

Abstract

We recommend ultrasonography to be done in all cases of undescended testis in addition to a thorough history and physical examination. Intravenous pyelography, micturating cystourethrogram, CT scan and other investigations should be performed selectively based on history, physical examination or ultrasound findings.

A case of pelvic kidney with ureteral obstruction from inguinal hernia entrapment and concurrent cryptorchid testis: A Case Report

“…Although ectopic kidneys (0.4%) have been reported to be associated with cryptorchid testes in children, there is little data for this same relationship in adults. 11 This is due to the low incidence of cryptorchid testis in patients older than 1 year of age because most cases are discovered shortly after birth. Given that undescended testicles are already a rare finding in post-pubertal men (to the point where incidence has not been determined), it is an even more rare finding to have an associated ectopic kidney.…”

The Utility of Ultrasonography in the Management of Undescended Testis in a Developing Country

“…Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and laparoscopy have been reported to have better yield in terms of localizing NPT compared with ultrasonography [4, 5, 23]. Of these, laparoscopy has been adopted in routine clinical practice and has been found to be indispensable when ultrasound examination is negative [22]. In addition, laparoscopy has an added utility of therapeutic application in definitive treatment of some cases of UDT.…”

“…In the present report, more than 86% of the cases that were not preoperatively localized required the latter incision for access to the testes. An important additional value of ultrasound may include evaluation of associated upper and lower genitourinary anomalies, such as duplication of upper urinary tract, polycystic kidney, Horseshoe kidney, and crossed renal ectopia in the same setting as localizing the testes [22]. Frequency of such anomalies has been reported to vary from 7.8 to 20% and may be related to the zeal with which they are sought [22].…”

“…An important additional value of ultrasound may include evaluation of associated upper and lower genitourinary anomalies, such as duplication of upper urinary tract, polycystic kidney, Horseshoe kidney, and crossed renal ectopia in the same setting as localizing the testes [22]. Frequency of such anomalies has been reported to vary from 7.8 to 20% and may be related to the zeal with which they are sought [22]. The fact that no such association was reported in the present study may not indicate that these associated anomalies do not occur in our setting.…”