In a long-term follow-up study we compared preoperative testicular position, age at orchiopexy, and morphology of testicular biopsies investigated at orchiopexy to sperm analysis results, testicular volume, and serum follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels at follow-up in 46 men with a history of surgical correction of cryptorchidism in childhood.
They had undergone orchiopexy at age 1.5-12.0 years, 24 for unilateral and 22 for bilateral cryptorchidism. Eleven (46%) of the 24 patients with unilateral and 7 (32%) of the 22 with bilateral undescended testes had a normal sperm analysis, whereas in men with impaired spermiogenesis oligo-asthenozoospermia was the predominant feature. Three (13.6%) patients with bilateral cryptorchidism showed azoospermia, but none of the patients with unilateral cryptorchidism did. Neither the age at orchiopexy nor the average germ-cell count per cross-sectioned seminiferous tubule of testicular biopsies examined at orchiopexy correlated significantly with subsequent sperm analysis results or gonadotropin levels at follow-up. The pretreatment testicular position ("testicular position value") has a high prognostic value for prediction of subsequent sperm analysis results and serum gonadotropin levels.
Written by:
Mayr J, Pusch HH, Schimpl G, Reitinger T, Sorantin E, Mayr-Koci M. Are you the author?
Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 34, A-8036, Graz, Austria.
Reference: Pediatr Surg Int. 1996 Jun;11(5-6):354-8.
doi: 10.1007/BF00497811
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24057714
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