Testicular Function after Orchiopexy for Unilaterally Undescended Testis

Abstract

Testicular function was determined in 29 men, 21 to 35 years old, who had undergone orchiopexy for unilaterally undescended testis at four to 12 years of age. Serum testosterone and dialyzable testosterone concentrations of these men were not significantly different from those of a control group of 30 normal men, and their basal serum luteinizing hormone concentrations and serum luteinizing hormone responses to synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone were only slightly higher than those of the normal men. The mean sperm density of the patients, however, was only one third of that of the normal men (p less than 0.001). The mean serum follicle stimulating hormone response ro gonadotropin-releasing hormone of the patients was doubled that of the normal men (p less than 0.001). The data indicate that spermatogenesis may be abnormal after orchipexy, and suggest that men with unilaterally undescended testis may have bilateral testicular abnormality.