Can Boys be Born with an Absent Testis?

A Pediatric Surgeon should be consulted at an appropriate time after birth who will document if the testis is felt outside the abdomen or not felt at all.

Why is it necessary to get the testicles to its normal position?

The higher temperature of the body may inhibit the normal development of the testis, which could lead to infertility, vulnerability to injury or rotation and rarely cancerous changes.

When should this abnormality be corrected?

This should ideally be done around 6 months of age, but definitely before the child completes his first year. 

What if the testis is seen sometimes in its normal position and missing otherwise?

In some boys, the testicles may be seen only intermittently in the normal position. This condition is called RETRACTILE TESTIS. This is a normal condition and there is no need to treat this condition but requires examination by a Pediatric Surgeon.

What are the treatment options?

If the testis is felt, a simple surgery called ORCHIOPEXY and done as a day care admission. Laparoscopy for a testis inside the abdomen is the gold standard in the management of this condition worldwide. Sometimes in rare situations, the testis may be completely absent or the size so tiny that it warrants removal. The surgery is generally safe in the hands of experienced surgeons and anesthetists.

Dr. Harish Jayram, MBBS, MS (Gen Surg), M.Ch, Pediatric Surgery (PGIMER, Chandigarh), Consultant Pediatric Surgeon & Pediatric Urologist, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Banjara Hills

Dr. Harish Jayram

MBBS, MS (Gen Surg), M.Ch, Pediatric Surgery (PGIMER, Chandigarh)

Consultant Pediatric Surgeon & Pediatric Urologist

Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Banjara Hills