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Congenital Cystic Pathology of the Epididymis

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Abstract

Congenital anomalies of the epididymis are observed in 35–75 % of patients with cryptorchidism and a variable rate in infertile patients. In most cases they consist of gross abnormalities in the fusion or suspension of the epididymis and testis, of which there are several anatomical classifications. And, unless a surgical specimen of orchiectomy is studied, the pathologist does not have access to this material. This is not so with cystic lesions that either by their size or by the diagnostic difficulties that may arise must be removed. The importance of the histological study of cystic formations goes beyond their proper diagnosis. The pathologist must bear in mind that they may represent the tip of the iceberg of various anomalies, some in development (patients who have undergone in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol, cystic dysplasia of epididymis) and others associated with a disease of genetic base (cystic fibrosis, hepatorenal polycystic disease, von Hippel-Lindau disease). This chapter discusses the most common cystic malformations.

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Nistal, M., González-Peramato, P., Serrano, Á. (2017). Congenital Cystic Pathology of the Epididymis. In: Clues in the Diagnosis of Non-tumoral Testicular Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49364-0_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49364-0_32

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