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Pathogenesis and treatment of undescended testes

  • Symposium Undescended Testes April 24, 1982, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Organized by the Foundation for Urological Research (SUWO), Rotterdam
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Abstract

Impaired intrauterine gonadotropin secretion was the cause of cryptorchidism in 78% of cryptorchid boys studied. On the one hand, this impairement implied the underdevelopment of the epididymis and thus the cryptorchid state of the gonad. On the other hand, the histological alterations of the testis, due to impaired gonadotropin secretion were Leydig cell atrophy and an impairment in the number of the germ cells.

The secondary damage, due to the unfavorable position, started during the second year of life. To avoid this damage, early treatment is highly recommended. Hormonal treatment with GnRH is the treatment of first choice. This treatment was successful in 60% of cryptorchid boys. An additional treatment of nonresponders with low doses of hCG increased the overall success rate to 80%. Six months after treatment, 14.5% of those successfully treated suffered a relapse.

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Abbreviations

CR:

Crown rump length

DHT:

Dihydrotestosterone

ED:

Embryonal day

hCG:

Human chorion gonadotropin

HPG:

Hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis

LHRH:

Luteinising hormone-releasing hormone

MIS:

Müllerian-inhibiting substance

TD:

Testicular descent

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  1. University Children's Hospital, Römergasse 8, CH-4005, Basle, Switzerland

    F. Hadžiselimović

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Hadžiselimović, F. Pathogenesis and treatment of undescended testes. Eur J Pediatr 139, 255–265 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00442176

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