Evaluation of preoperative testicular volume in Japanese children with unilateral cryptorchidism.

OBJECTIVES

We measured the testis volume of patients with unilateral cryptorchidism preoperatively and compared with a unilateral hydrocele testis to assess testicular development in these patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The present study included 129 children (ranging in age from 10 months to 5 years) with unilateral cryptorchidism who were treated from 2000 to 2006 at our institution. We evaluated the correlation between testicular volume and the location of testes or the age of these children. We also examined the testicular volume of 50 children with unilateral hydrocele testis (range, 8 months to 5 years).

RESULTS

There was no difference in testicular volume among each position of the undescended testis. The volumes of both undescended testes and hydrocele testes did not change until 5 years of age. There was a significant difference in testicular volume between undescended and hydrocele testes. The average testicular volume of cryptorchidism is significantly smaller than that of hydrocele testes both under and over 2 years old.

CONCLUSIONS

From the viewpoint of undescended testicular volume, cryptorchid children should be operated on as early as possible.