orchidopexy
Last reviewed 01/2018
Orchidopexy is the surgical placement of an undescended testes into the scrotum, where it is fixed.
There are a variety of techniques, most of which advocate fixing both testes in the scrotum.
Undescended testes can be fixed at any time after one year, which is felt to be the last time a testis will naturally descend.
The operation becomes considerably more complicated if the blood supply to the testes is not long enough to allow mobilisation of the testis into the scrotum.
The compelling reasons for orchidopexy are not to reduce the malignant potential or to increase the fertility, but to reduce the risk of trauma and torsion and to improve the detection of malignancy if it does occur.