Cryptorchidism and Infertility

  • Manoj Monga
  • Wayne J. G. Hellstrom

Abstract

Cryptorchidism is a defect involving maldescent of the testicle. The aims of therapy for cryptorchidism include preservation of fertility, reduction in risk of malignancy, and alleviation of psychological stress. It was first described by Hunter1 in 1841, who noted an association between maldescent and alterations in testicular function and fertility.

Keywords

Sertoli Cell Leydig Cell Undescended Testis Cremasteric Muscle Testicular Descent 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    Hunter J A. A description of the situation of the testis in the fetus with its descent into the scrotum. In: Haswell JJ, ed. Observations on Certain Parts of the Animal Economy. New Orleans: 1841.Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Rozanski TA, Bloom DA. The undescended testis: theory and management. Urol Clin North Am 1995; 22: 107–118.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    Hadziselimovic F. Examination and clinical findings in cryptorchid boys. In: Hadziselimovic F, ed. Cryptorchidism, Management and Implications. Berlin: Springer-Verlag; 1983; chapter 8.Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    Thompson ST. Preventable causes of male infertility. World J Urol 1993; 11: 111–119.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    Lee PA. Fertility in cryptorchidism: does treatment make a difference? Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1993; 22: 479–490.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  6. 6.
    Gill B, Palmer LS. Cryptorchidism: the data to support early repair. Probl Urol 1994; 8: 518–532.Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    Gracia J, Gonzalez N, Gomez ME, et al. Clinical and anatomopathological study of 2000 cryptorchid testes. Br J Urol 1995; 75: 697–701.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. 8.
    Cendron M, Huff DS, Keating MA, et al. Anatomical morphological and volumetric analysis: a review of 759 cases of testicular maldescent. J Urol 1993; 149: 570–573.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. 9.
    Palmer JM. The undescended testicle. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1991; 20: 231–240.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. 10.
    Bica DTG, Hadziselimovic F. The behavior of epididymis, processus vaginalis and testicular descent in cryptorchid boys treated with buserelin. Eur J Pediatr 1993; 152 (suppl 2): S38–42.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. 11.
    Hutson JM, Beasley SW. Embryological controversies in testicular descent. Semin Urol 1988; 6: 68–73.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  12. 12.
    Huff DS, Hadziselimovic F, Snyder HM, et al. Early postnatal testicular maldevelopment in cryptorchidism. J Urol 1991; 146: 624–626.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Hadziselimovic F, Herzog B, Huff DS, et al. The morphometric histopathology of undescended testes and testes associated with incarcerated inguinal hernia: a comparative study. J Urol 1991; 146: 627–629.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  14. 14.
    Huff DS, Hadziselimovic F, Snyder HM, et al. Histologic maldevelopment of unilaterally crypt-orchid testes and their descended partners. Eur J Pediatr 1993; 152(suppl 2):S11–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. 15.
    Husmann DA, Boone TB, McPhaul MJ. Flutamide-induced testicular undescent in the rat is associated with alterations in genitofemoral nerve morphology. J Urol 1994; 151: 509–513.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  16. 16.
    Patkowski D, Czernik J, Jelen M. Division of the genitofemoral nerve in unilateral cryptorchid rats. Pediatr Surg 1994; 29: 832–835.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. 17.
    Cortes D, Thorup JM, Lenz K, et al. Laparoscopy in 100 consecutive patients with 128 impalpable testes. Br J Urol 1995; 75: 281–287.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. 18.
    Turek PJ, Ewalt DH, Snyder HM, et al. The absent cryptorchid testis: surgical findings and their implications for diagnosis and etiology. J Urol 1994; 151: 718–721.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. 19.
    Huff DS, Wu HY, Snyder HM, et al. Evidence in favor of the mechanical (intrauterine torsion) theory over the endocrinopathy (cryptorchidism) theory in the pathogenesis of testicular agenesis. J Urol 1991; 146: 630–631.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  20. 20.
    Mieusset R, Bujan L, Massat G, et al. Clinical and biological characteristics of infertile men with a history of cryptorchidism. Hum Reprod 1995; 10: 613–619.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  21. 21.
    Roth DR, Lipshultz LI. Overview of cryptorchidism with emphasis on the human. In: Abney TO, Keel BA. eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989: 1–14.Google Scholar
  22. 22.
    Koff SA. Does compensatory testicular enlargement predict monorchism? J Urol 1991; 146: 632–633.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  23. 23.
    Tellaloglu S, Kadioglu A, Kilicaslan I, et al. Cryptorchidism: is orchidopexy always preventive treatment for infertility. Acta Chir Hungarica 1994; 34: 195–201.Google Scholar
  24. 24.
    Urry RL, Carrell DT, Starr NT, et al. The incidence of antisperm antibodies in infertility patients with a history of cryptorchidism. J Urol 1994; 151: 381–383.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  25. 25.
    Keel BA, Abney TO. Cryptorchid-induced changes in spermatogenesis and fertility. In: Abney TO, Keel BA, eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989: 161–170.Google Scholar
  26. 26.
    Patkowski D, Czernik J, Jelen M. The natural course of cryptorchidism in rats and efficacy of orchidopexy or orchiedectomy in its treatment before and after puberty. J Pediatr Surg 1992; 27: 870–873.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. 27.
    Kawakami E, Tsutsui T, Saito S, et al. Changes in peripheral plasma lutenizing hormone and testosterone concentrations and semen quality in normal and cryptorchid dogs during sexual maturation. Lab Anim Sci 1995; 45: 258–263.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  28. 28.
    Jockenhovel F, Swerdloff RS. Alterations in the steroidogenic capacity of Leydig cells in the cryptorchid testis. In: Abney TO, Keel BA, eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989: 35–54.Google Scholar
  29. 29.
    Grasso M, Buonaguidi A, Lania C, et al. Postpubertal cryptorchidism: review and evaluation of the fertility. Eur Urol 1991; 20: 126–128.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  30. 30.
    Okuyama A, Nonomura N, Nakamura M. Surgical management of undescended testis: retrospective study of potential fertility in 274 cases./ Urol 1989; 142: 749–751.Google Scholar
  31. 31.
    Yavetz H, Harash B, Paz G, et al. Cryptorchidism: incidence and sperm quality in infertile men. Andrologia 1992; 24: 293–297.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. 32.
    Chilvers C, Dudley NE, Gough MH, et al. Undescended testis: the effect of treatment on subsequent risk of subfertility and malignancy. J Pediatr Surg 1986; 21: 691–696.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. 33.
    Foresta C, Zorzi M, Rossato M, et al. Sperm nuclear instability and staining with aniline blue: abnormal persistence of histones in spermatozoa in infertile men. IntJ Androl 1992; 15: 330–337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. 34.
    Puri P, O’Donnell B. Semen analysis of patients who had orchiopexy at or after seven years of age. Lancet 1988; 2: 1051–1052.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. 35.
    Lee PA, Bellinger MF, Songer NJ, et al. An epidemiologic study of paternity after cryptorchidism: initial results. Eur J Pediatr 1993; 152(suppl 2):S-25–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. 36.
    Fallon B, Kennedy TJ. Long-term follow-up of fertility in cryptorchid patients. Urology 1985; 25: 502–504.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. 37.
    Gilhooly PE, Meyers F, Lattimer JK. Fertility prospects for children with cryptorchidism. Am J Dis Child 1984; 138: 940–943.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  38. 38.
    Codesal J, Paniagua R, Queizan A, et al. Cyto-photometric DNA quantification in human spermatogonia of cryptorchid testes. J Urol 1993; 149: 382–385.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  39. 39.
    Bica DTG, Hadziselimovic F. Buserelin treatment of cryptorchidism: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Urol 1992; 148: 617–621.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  40. 40.
    Huff DS, Hadziselimovic F, Snyder HM, et al. Postnatal testicular maldevelopment in unilateral cryptorchidism. J Urol 1989; 142: 546–548.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  41. 41.
    Zhou B, Hutson JM. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) fails to stimulate gonocyte differentiation in newborn mouse testes in organ culture. J Urol 1995; 153: 501–505.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. 42.
    Haneji T, Nishimune Y. Hormones and the differentiation of type-A spermatogonia in mouse cryptorchid testes incubated in vitro. J Endocrinol 1982; 94: 43–50.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. 43.
    Yamanaka J, Baker ML, Metcalfe SA, et al. Serum levels of miillerian-inhibiting substance in boys with cryptorchidism. J Pediatr Surg 1991; 26: 621–623.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. 44.
    Tarter TH, Kogan SJ. Contralateral testicular disease after unilateral testicular injury: current concepts. Semin Urol 1988; 6: 120–139.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  45. 45.
    Mininberg DT. Histopathology of the undescended testis. Semin Urol 1988; 6: 74–78.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  46. 46.
    Foresta C, Indino M, Mioni R, et al. Evidence of sperm nuclear chromatin heterogeneity in ex-cryptorchid subjects. Andrologia 1987; 19: 148–152.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. 47.
    Gaudio E, Paggiarino D, Carpino F. Structural and ultrastructural modifications of cryptorchid human testes. J Urol 1984; 131: 292–296.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  48. 48.
    Abney TO, Keel BA. Influence of cryptorchidism on Leydig cell function. In: Abney TO, Keel BA, eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989; 93–118.Google Scholar
  49. 49.
    De Kretser DM, Risbridger GP. Changes in Sertoli cell structure and functions. In: Abney TO, Keel BA, eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989: 119–132.Google Scholar
  50. 50.
    Hadziselimovic F. Histology and ultrastructure of normal and cryptorchid testes. In: Hadziselimovic F, ed. Cryptorchidism j Management and Implications. Berlin: Springer-Verlag; 1983: 35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. 51.
    Gotoh M, Miyake K, Mitsuya H. Alterations in Leydig cell morphology. In: Abney TO, Keel BA, eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989: 71–92.Google Scholar
  52. 52.
    Mieusset R, Fouda PJ, Vaysse P, et al. Increase in testicular temperature in case of cryptorchidism in boys. Fertil Steril 1993; 59: 1319–1321.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  53. 53.
    Lenzi A, Gandini L, Lombardo F. Antisperm antibodies in young boys. Andrologia 1991; 23: 233–235.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. 54.
    Mininberg DT, Chen ME, Witkin SS. Antisperm antibodies in cryptorchid boys. Eur J Pediatr 1993; 152(suppl 2):S-23–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  55. 55.
    Mollaeian M, Mehrabi V, Elahi B. Significance of epididymal and ductal anomalies associated with undescended testis: study in 652 cases. Urology 1994; 43: 857–860.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  56. 56.
    Herzog B, Rosslein R, Hadziselimovic F. The role of the processus vaginalis in cryptorchidism. Eur J Pediatr 1993; 152(suppl 2):S-15–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  57. 57.
    Bedford JM. Effects of elevated temperature on the epididymis and testis: experimental studies. Adv Exp Med Biol 1991; 286: 19–32.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  58. 58.
    Imthurn T, Hadziselimovic F, Herzog B. Impaired germ cells in secondary cryptorchid testis after herniotomy. J Urol 1995; 153: 780–781.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  59. 59.
    Hadziselimovic F. Cryptorchidism. Ultrastructure of normal and cryptorchid testis development. Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol 1977; 53: 3–71.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  60. 60.
    Knecht H. Tubular structure and germ cell distribution of cryptorchid or normal testes in early childhood. Beitr Pathol 1976; 159: 249–270.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  61. 61.
    Heaton ND, Davenport M, Pryor JP. Fertility after correction of bilateral undescended testes at the age of 23 years. Br J Urol 1993; 71: 490–491.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  62. 62.
    DeMuinck Deiser-Schrama SMPF, Hazebroek FWJ. Hormonal treatment of cryptorchidism: role of pituitary gonadal axis. Semin Urol 1988; 6: 84–95.Google Scholar
  63. 63.
    DeMuinck Keiser-Schrama SMPF, Hazebroek FWJ, Matroos AW, et al. Double-blind placebo controlled study of luteinizing-hormone-releasing-hormone nasal spray in treatment of undescended testes. Lancet 1986; 1: 876–880.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  64. 64.
    Lala R, Matarazzo P, Chiabotto P, et al. Combined therapy with LHRH and HCG in cryptorchid infants. Eur J Pediatr 1993; 152(suppl 2):S31–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  65. 65.
    Christiansen P, Muller J, Buhl S, et al. Treatment of cryptorchidism with human gonadotropin or gonadotropin-releasing hormone. A double-blind controlled study of 243 boys. Horm Res 1988; 30: 187–192.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  66. 66.
    Gearhart JP, Jeffs RD. Diagnostic maneuvers in cryptorchidism. Semin Urol 1988; 6: 79–83.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  67. 67.
    Diamond DA, Caldamone AA. The value of laparoscopy for 106 impalpable testes relative to clinical presentation. J Urol 1992; 148: 632–634.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  68. 68.
    Smith EM, Dahms BB, Elder JS. Influence of vas deferens mobilization on rat fertility: implications regarding orchiopexy./ Urol 1993; 150: 663–666.Google Scholar
  69. 69.
    Bergh A. Experimental models of cryptorchidism. In: Abney TO, Keel BA, eds. The Cryptorchid Testis. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1989: 15–34.Google Scholar
  70. 70.
    Bukowski TP, Wacksman J, Billmire DA, et al. Testicular autotransplantation: a 17-year review of an effective approach to the management of the intraabdominal testis. J Urol 1995; 154: 558–561.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  71. 71.
    Bellinger MF, Abramowitz HB, Brantley S, et al. Orchiopexy: an experimental study of the effect of surgical technique on testicular histology. J Urol 1989; 142: 553–555.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  72. 72.
    MacMahon RA, O’Brien BM, Aberdeen J, et al. Results of the use of autotransplantation of the intraabdominal testis using microsurgical vascular anastomosis. J Pediatr Surg 1980; 15: 92–96.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  73. 73.
    Finkel DM, Phillips JL, Snyder PJ. Stimulation of spermatogenesis by gonadotropins in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. N Engl J Med 1985; 313: 651–655.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  74. 74.
    McLachlan RI, Finkel DM, Bremner WJ, et al. Serum inhibin concentrations before and during gonadotropin treatment in men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: physiological and clinical implications. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1990; 70: 1414–1419.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  75. 75.
    Kirk JMW, Savage MO, Grant DB, et al. Gonadal function and response to human chorionic and menopausal gonadotropin therapy in male patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Clin Endocrinol 1994; 41: 57–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  76. 76.
    Jones TH, Darne JF. Self-administered subcutaneous human menopausal gonadotropin for the stimulation of testicular growth and initiation of spermatogenesis in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Clin Endocrinol 1993; 38: 203–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1997

Authors and Affiliations

  • Manoj Monga
  • Wayne J. G. Hellstrom

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations