Orchiopexy

About Orchiopexy

Orchiopexy is an operation to move an undescended testicle into the scrotum and fix it there. Undescended testis, or cryptorchidism, is one of the most common congenital conditions in boys, especially in those born prematurely, and many cases resolve on their own in the first months of life. When the testis remains undescended, surgery is generally recommended in early childhood, since leaving it in place is associated with reduced fertility and a higher risk of testicular cancer, and placing it in the scrotum also allows easier examination later. For a testis that can be felt in the groin, the surgeon makes an incision there, frees the testis and its cord, repairs the associated hernia sac and places the testis in a pouch beneath the scrotal skin. For a testis that cannot be felt, laparoscopy is used to look inside the abdomen, and a staged approach such as the Fowler Stephens technique may be needed. The term orchiopexy is also used for fixation of the testes to prevent or treat testicular torsion.