What is cryptorchidism?

➢ Cryptorchidism is a failure of testicular descent into the scrotum. ➢ Normally, the testes descend from the abdominal cavity to the scrotum during the last 2 months of intrauterine life. ➢ Diagnosis is only established with certainty after 1 year of age, particularly in premature infants (testicular descent into the scrotum is not always complete at birth). ➢ Undescended testes become atrophic ➢ It is Associated with a 3- to 5-fold increased risk for testicular cancer, which arises from foci of germ cell neoplasia ➢ in-situ within the atrophic tubules. ➢ Microscopically, tubular atrophy begins to appear by 5 to 6 years of age, and is usually advanced by the time of puberty. ➢ Early orchiopexy reduces the risk for sterility and cancer.