Cryptorchidism in children: how to get rid of vice

Cryptorchidism is a congenital malformation of sexual development, which is characterized by underdevelopment and underestimation of testicles in the scrotum. The reasons for developing cryptorchidism in children may be several. Laying of eggs in boys occurs in the womb, they are located on the back abdominal wall near the kidneys. During fetal growth, the organs begin to move down the guide ligaments, and 2 weeks before the birth of the baby descend into the scrotum. Most boys who are born on an eight-month period have testicles already lowered into the scrotum, but 20% of the children who are born before the term develop cryptorchidism, which is a sign of prematurity. The child does not have a few weeks to lower the testicles. True, the deviation in this case goes by itself, as the baby ripens.

Cryptorchidism in children born on time means a violation of the process of lowering the testicle. It happens that there is a delay in the organ in the inguinal canal, in the abdominal cavity. Sometimes, after the successful exit of the testicle from the inguinal canal, it changes direction and may be under the skin on the thigh, in the groin, in the perineum, on the pubic area. Subcutaneous localization of the testicle is called an ectopia. Often the disease is inherited.

In some cases, cryptorchidism in children occurs with hormonal disorders in the mother during pregnancy, which can occur due to taking estrogens or changing the ratio of hormones for 7-9 months. In addition, a multiple pregnancy can cause the birth of a baby with a deviation. Harmful conditions, the contact of a pregnant woman with poisonous chemicals can cause hypoplasia of the testicles.

Symptoms of the disease manifest themselves as follows. The scrotum of the child, in which there is no testicle, looks asleep, asymmetrical from the side of the missing organ. If there is not both testicles in their place, then bilateral cryptorchidism develops. If the organ is not probed either in the inguinal canal or under the skin in other places, it can be located in the abdominal cavity or absent altogether (anarchy).

Cryptorchidism in children can cause male infertility, especially bilateral. For normal operation of the male reproductive system and the development of full spermatozoa, the testicles should be located in the scrotum, where the temperature is lower than in other areas of the body. And any increase in the temperature of the organs leads to a violation of the reproductive function. The higher the testicle, the more likely the development of infertility. Also, cryptorchidism can manifest as a result of hormonal imbalance. If the diagnosis is made on time and the correct treatment is started, the functioning of the testicles can be preserved. In the absence of treatment, the testicle, which has been out of place for a long time, may undergo malignant degeneration (malignancy). An unpleasant consequence of timely unresolved cryptorchidism can be a twist or infringement of an undescended testicle. These complications occur during physical exertion, for example, when falling or abruptly moving. It should be borne in mind that an unsuccessful testicle can cause abdominal pain.

The main method of treating the disease is surgical intervention. Moreover, the operation is performed at the age of one year, since up to six months the testicle can still descend independently. Due to the fact that cryptorchidism in adults is rare, they do not perform an operation.

Surgical intervention, in its essence, is a simple procedure that is performed within an hour and is easily tolerated by patients. In the early days, patients undergoing surgery were prescribed a bed rest. Complications after surgery are rare.