Skip to main content
British Medical Journal logoLink to British Medical Journal
. 1976 Dec 4;2(6048):1357–1359. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6048.1357

Gonadal function in young adults after surgical treatment of cryptorchidism.

E A Werder, R Illig, T Torresani, M Zachmann, P Baumann, F Ott, A Prader
PMCID: PMC1690260  PMID: 11867

Abstract

In a follow-up study of 48 young men who had been surgically treated for cryptorchidism before puberty testicular function was assessed by examining the genitalia, testicular volume, secondary sex characteristics, semen, plasma luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations after luteinising hormone-releasing hormone stimulation, and plasma testosterone concentrations. Clinical androgen effects were normal. The mean testicular volume of both testes was in the low normal range in those who had had unilateral cryptorchidism and below normal in those who had had bilateral cryptorchidism. Of 37 patients whose sperm counts were recorded (14 bilateral) six showed azoospermia (all bilateral), five had severe oligospermia (four bilateral), and 10 had moderate oligospermia (one bilateral). In nearly all those who had had bilateral cryptorchidism and most of those who had had unilateral cryptorchidism plasma gonadotrophin levels were increased. Four cases of possible partial LH deficiency were identified. Plasma testosterone concentrations were normal in all except two patients.

Full text

PDF
1357

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Albescú J. Z., Bergadá C., Cullen M. Male fertility in patients treated for cryptorchidism before puberty. Fertil Steril. 1971 Dec;22(12):829–833. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)38647-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRUNET J., DE MOWBRAY R. R., BISHOP P. M. Management of the undescended testis. Br Med J. 1958 Jun 14;1(5084):1367–1371. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5084.1367. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bramble F. J., Houghton A. L., Eccles S. S., Murray M. A., Jacobs H. S. Specific control of follicle stimulating hormone in the male: postulated site of action of inhibin. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1975 Jul;4(4):443–449. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1975.tb01552.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bramble F. J., Houghton A. L., Eccles S., O'Shea A., Jacobs H. S. Reproductive and endocrine function after surgical treatment of bilateral crytorchidism. Lancet. 1974 Aug 10;2(7876):311–314. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)91692-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dougall A. J., Maclean N., Wilkinson A. W. Histology of the maldescended testis at operation. Lancet. 1974 Apr 27;1(7861):771–774. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)92841-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HANSEN T. S. Fertility in operatively treated and untreated cryptorchidism. Proc R Soc Med. 1949 Sep;42(9):645–651. doi: 10.1177/003591574904200902. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hecker W., Hienz H. A. Cryptorchidism and fertility. J Pediatr Surg. 1967 Dec;2(6):513–517. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3468(67)80005-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Ludwig G., Potempa J. Der optimale Zeitpunkt der Behandlung des Kryptorchismus. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1975 Mar 28;100(13):680–683. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1106278. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Richter W., Pröschold M., Butenandt O., Knorr D. Die Fertilität nach HCG-Behandlung des Maldescensus Testis. Klin Wochenschr. 1976 May 15;54(10):467–473. doi: 10.1007/BF01469047. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. SCOTT L. S. Fertility in cryptorchidism. Proc R Soc Med. 1962 Dec;55:1047–1050. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. SOHVAL A. R. Histopathology of cryptorchidism a study based upon the comparative histology of retained and scrotal testes from birth to maturity. Am J Med. 1954 Mar;16(3):346–362. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(54)90352-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Salle B., Hedinger C., Nicole R. Significance of testicular biopsies in cryptorchidism in children. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh) 1968 May;58(1):67–76. doi: 10.1530/acta.0.0580067. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Santen R. J., Paulsen C. A. Hypogonadotropic eunuchoidism. I. Clinical study of the mode of inheritance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1973 Jan;36(1):47–54. doi: 10.1210/jcem-36-1-47. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Zachmann M., Prader A., Kind H. P., Häfliger H., Budliger H. Testicular volume during adolescence. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Helv Paediatr Acta. 1974 Apr;29(1):61–72. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES