Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fertility in Cryptorchidism

  • Chapter
Cryptorchidism

Abstract

It is common knowledge that the testis that remains cryptorchid through puberty will be sterile later in life. However, a number of patients who are treated prepubertally, even with unilateral cryptorchidism, will also be infertile in adulthood. At a conservative estimate, some 25% of unilateral and 50% of bilateral cryptorchids will be infertile in spite of successful prepubertal orchidopexy.

“….prevailing methods of treatment of cryptorchidism are unsatisfactory and … boys with … cryptorchidism … should be spared the hazard and inconvenience of orchidopexy”

(Charny)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Charny CW (1960) The spermatogenic potential of the undescended testis before and after treatment. J Urol 83:697

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bergada C, Farias ME, Romero de Behar BM, Cullen M (1969) Abnormal sex chromatin pattern in cryptorchidism, girls with short stature and other endocrine patients. Helv Paediatr Acta 4:372

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ludwig G, Potempa J (1973) Der optimale Zeitpunkt der Behandlung des Kryptorchismus. Deutsch Med Wochenschr 100:680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Giarola A, Agostini G (1979) Undescended testis and male fertility. In: Bierich JR, Giarola A (eds) Cryptorchidism. Academic Press, London New York, p 533

    Google Scholar 

  5. Puri P, Nixon HH (1977) Bilateral retractile testes subsequent effects on fertility. J Pediatr Surg 12:563

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Illig R, Exner GU, Killmann F, Kellerer K, Borkenstein M, Lunglmayr L, Kuber W, Prader A (1977) Treatment of cryptorchidism by intravasal synthetic luteinizinghormone releasing hormone. Lancet 2:518

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Fahlstrom G, Helmberg L, Johansson H (1960) Atro phy of the testes following operations upon the inguinal region in infants and children. Acta Chir Scand 126:221

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mengel W, Hecker WC, Moritz P (1977) The treatment of the maldescended testis under special consideration of the moment of surgical treatment. In: Bierich JR, Rager K, Ranke MB (eds) Maldescensus testis. Urban &Schwarzenberg, München Baltimore, p 111

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gross RE, Replogle RL (1963) Treatment of the undescended testis. Postgrad Med 34:266

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sherins RJ, Brightwell D, Sternthal PM (1977) Longitudinal analysis of semen of fertile and infertile men. In: Nankin HR, Troen P (eds) The testis in normal and infertile men. Raven Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  11. Knorr W, Proschold U, Richter W (1976) Fertility after treatment of maldescensus testis. In: Bierich JR, Rager K, Ranke MB (eds) Maldescensus testis. Urban &Schwarzenberg, München Baltimore, p 95

    Google Scholar 

  12. Freund M (1966) Standards for the rating of human sperm morphology: a cooperative study. Int J Fertil 11:97

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gross RE, Jewett TC Jr (1956) Surgical experience from 1,222 operations for undescended testes. JAMA 160:634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. WHO (World Health Organization) Statistics, Geneva, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zamudio-Albescu J (1979) Cryptorchidism and fertility. In: Bierich JR, Giarola A (eds) Cryptorchidism. Academic Press, London New York, p 497

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bergada C (1979) Use of gonadotropins for the evaluation of testicular function and correlations to biopsy of cryptorchid testes. In: Job JC (ed) Cryptorchidism: diagnosis and treatment. Karger, Basel New York (Pediatric and adolescent endocrinology, vol 6, p 97)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Richter W, Proschold M, Butenandt O, Knorr D (1976) Die Fertilität nach HCG-Behandlung des Maldescensus testis. Klin Wochenschr 54:467–473

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bierich JR (1981) Gonadotropin therapy for the undescended testis. In: Kogan SJ, Hafez ESE (eds) Pediatric andrology. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague (Clinics in andrology, vol 7, p 163)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Tato L, Mase R, Rossignoli R, Pinelli L, Gaburro D (1979) Some semiological aspects of cryptorchidism in prepubertal boys: testicular volume and gonadotropin responses to LH-RH. In: Bierich JR, Giarola J (eds) Cryptorchidism. Academic Press, London New York, p 337

    Google Scholar 

  20. Laron Z, Dickerman Z, Ritterman I (1979) Compensatory testicular hypertrophy in unilateral cryptorchidism. In: Job JC (ed) Cryptorchidism: diagnosis and treatment. Karger, Basel New York (Pediatric and adolescent endocrinology, vol 6, p 137)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kogan SJ, Smey P, Levitt SB (1979) Unpublished data

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hecker WC, Heinz HA (1967) Cryptorchidism and fertility. J Pediatr Surg 2:513

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Mengel W, Heinz HA, Sippe WG (1974) Studies on cryptorchidism: a comparison of histologic findings in the germinative epithelium before and after the second year of life. J Pediatr Surg 9:445

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Hedinger C (1977) The histopathology of the cryptorchid testis. In: Bierich JR, Rager K, Ranke MB (eds) Maldescensus testis. Urban & Schwarzenberg, München Baltimore, p 29

    Google Scholar 

  25. Brown PC, Dorling J, Glynn LE (1972) Ultrastructural changes in experimental allergic orchitis in guinea pigs. JPathol 106:229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Tung KSK, Alexander NJ (1977) Autoimmune reactions in the testis. In: Johnson AD, Gomes WR (eds) The testis, vol IV. Academic Press, London New York, p 491

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chakraborty J, Jhonjhunwala J, Nelson L, Young M (1980) Effects of unilateral torsion of the spermatic cord on the contralateral testis in human and guinea pig. Arch Androl 4:95

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Shirai M, Matsushita S, Kagayama M (1966) Histologic changes of the scrotal testis in unilateral cryptorchidism. Tohoku J Exp Med 90:363

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Weissbach L, Ibach B (1977) Morphometrical studies on experimental unilateral cryptorchids in the dog. In: Bierich JR, Rager K, Ranke MB (eds) Maldescensus testis. Urban &Schwarzenberg, München Baltimore, p 165

    Google Scholar 

  30. Mengel W, Moritz P, Huttmann B (1979) Experimental studies on pathogenesis of the histological changes in unilateral cryptorchidism. In: Bierich JR, Giarola A (eds) Cryptorchidism. Academic Press, London New York, p 135

    Google Scholar 

  31. Katz S (to be published) Assessment of fertility after testicular torsion: an experimental study. Invest Urol

    Google Scholar 

  32. Harrison RG, Lewis-Jones DI, Moreno de Marval MJ, Connolly RC (1981) Mechanism of damage to the contralateral testis in rats with an ischaemic testis. Preliminary communication. Lancet 2:723

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wallace DMA, Hendry WF, Gunter PA, Landon GV, Pugh RCB (1981) Sympathetic orchiopathia. Lancet 2:1173

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Bartsch G, Frank S, Mikuz G, Marberger H (1980) Late results in testicular torsion with special regards to fertility and endocrinology. J Urol 124:375

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Scheiber K, Menardi G, Marberger H, Bartsch G (1981) Late results after surgical tratment of maldescended testes with special regard to exocrine and endocrine testicular function. Eur Urol 7:268

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Lipschultz LI, Caminos-Torres R, Greenspan CS, Snyder PJ (1976) Testicular function after orchidopexy for unilaterally undescended testes. N Engl J Med 295:15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Isidori A, Dondero F, Spera G (1979) Immunological studies in cryptorchidism. In: Bierich JR, Giarola A (eds) Cryptorchidism. Academic Press, London New York, p 207

    Google Scholar 

  38. Frankenhuis MT, Wensing CJG (1979) Induction of spermatogenesis in the naturally cryptorchid pig. Fertil Steril 31:428–433

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Laron Z (1981) Personal communication

    Google Scholar 

  40. Madersbacher H, Kövesdi S, Frick J (1972) Zur Fertilität beim einseitigen Kryptorchismus. Urologie 11: 210–212

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Schreiber G, Schickedanz H, Seilen B (1976) Morphologische und biochemische Spermiogrammbefunde nach chirurgisch behandeltem Maldeszensus testis. Z Urol 69:667–671

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Werder EA, Illig R, Torresoni T, Zachmann M, Bauman P, Ott F, Prader A (1976) Gonadal function in young adults after surgical treatment of cryptorchidism. Br Med J 2:1357–1359

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Lipschultz LI, Ceminos-Torres R, Greenspon CS (1976) Testicular function after orchidopexy for unilateral undescended testis. N Engl J Med 295:15–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Retief PJM (1977) Fertility in undescended testes. S Afr Med J 52:610–

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Wojciechowski K, Rucki T, Walczak M, Syc AK (1977) Longterm results of undescended testicle operative treatment. Prog Pediatr Surg 10:297–304

    Google Scholar 

  46. Knorr D (1979) Fertility after HCG-treatment of maldescended testes. In: Job JC (ed) Cryptorchidism. Diag nosis and treatment. Karger, Basel

    Google Scholar 

  47. Czeplicki P (1975) Actualités gynécologiques No. 6:177–189

    Google Scholar 

  48. Bramble F, Houghton AL, Eccles S, OShea A, Jacobs HS (1974) Reproductive and endocrine function after surgical treatment of bilateral cryptorchidism. Lancet 2:311–314

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. S. J. Kogan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1983 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kogan, S.J. (1983). Fertility in Cryptorchidism. In: Cryptorchidism. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-86020-1_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-86020-1_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-86022-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-86020-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation