Orchidopexy

Surgery Overview

Surgery to move an undescended testicle camera.gif into the scrotum is called orchiopexy or orchidopexy. It is usually performed on babies who are 9 to 15 months old. In most cases, a pediatric surgeon or a specialist who treats urinary problems in children (pediatric urologist) performs the surgery.

Orchiopexy may also be done on older boys and, rarely, on teens and adult men who have undescended testicles.

Depending on the location of the testicle, one or two small incisions are made in the scrotum, the groin, or the abdomen to allow the surgeon to reach the testicle and move it to the scrotum. Sometimes another surgical method called laparoscopy is used to move undescended testicles when they are located high in the inguinal canal or in the abdomen. In both types of orchiopexy, general anesthesia is used.

Usually only one surgery is needed. But in some cases where the testicles are located in the abdomen, orchiopexy may require two separate operations that are done several months apart.

Treatment

Undescended testicles will usually move down into the scrotum naturally by the time your child is three to six months old.
If the testicles don't descend by six months, it's very unlikely they will do so without treatment, so a surgical procedure to reposition one or both testicles will normally be recommended. This procedure is called an orchidopexy.
The operation should ideally be carried out before your child is 12 months old. This is because waiting longer than this may increase a boy's risk of developing fertility problems or testicular cancer later in life.