Abstract
Approximately 1% of males are diagnosed with cryptorchidism [1]. In the majority of cases the undescended testicle is palpable. However, as many as 20% of cryptorchid patients will have a non-palpable testis [2]. In these cases, the testis might be absent, intra-abdominal, or within the inguinal canal (canalicular). Prior to the advent of laparoscopic exploration for the non-palpable testicle in 1976, management of the undescended testicle consisted of an inguinal exploration with extension into the peritoneum [3]. The testicle was either absent (vanishing), removed, positioned scrotally, or in the worst case scenario, not located by the surgeon.
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Mohamed, A.Z., Norris, R., Schneck, F.X. (2011). Laparoscopic and Robotic Orchiopexy for the Impalpable Undescended Testicle. In: Ost, M. (eds) Robotic and Laparoscopic Reconstructive Surgery in Children and Adults. Current Clinical Urology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-914-7_16
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