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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Undescended testicle - what do I need to know?

31 replies

mm22bys · 19/02/2007 09:48

Hi, my son (three months old) has an undescended testicle. What do I need to know about chances of it fixing itself, best age for treatment, waiting times for treatment on the NHS (am in east London), etc?

TIA

OP posts:

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jabberwocky · 19/02/2007 09:53

My ds1 has this. It did come down some on its own, but not enought. He is 3 1/2 and his peiatrician just recommended a consult with a urologist. From what was said at the discussion re: referral, I think we still can wait until he is 5 or 6 for surgery. I soooo wish it would just come the rest of the way down on its own, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen

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Flowertop · 19/02/2007 09:54

Hi the professionals usually say that if the testicle is not down in 12 months then it is highly unlikely to come down on its own as they did in our case. I would just keep on top of things and ask your GP to keep checking to confirm its current status. My son was operated on at 4 to bring his testicle down.

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foxinsocks · 19/02/2007 09:57

have you checked in a warm bath?

ds's eventually came down (can't remember what age) but for ages, we could only feel/see it down in the bath.

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jabberwocky · 19/02/2007 09:58

Flowertop, did he have to go under general anesthesia or did they use IV sedation?

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Bubbaloo · 19/02/2007 10:01

My Ds(20 months) was also born with an undescended testicle,which never came down on it's own.
He had his operation and the London Hospital on Thursday.Was told by the surgeons that they like to do it before their 2nd birthday if possible but obviously can be done much later as the others have mentioned.

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Pruni · 19/02/2007 10:01

Message withdrawn

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Bubbaloo · 19/02/2007 10:06

Btw....ds had a general,was in theatre for just over an hour and as soon as the epidural wore off(2 hours later),he was charging about as right as rain and home a couple of hours later.It's still fairly swollen and very bruised but he's not complaining and hasn't needed any painkillers-just some Calpol before bed.

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LaDiDaDi · 19/02/2007 10:12

In our area children get referred if the testicle hasn't descended at all by 12 months.

There is an increased risk of testicular cancer in testes that are undescended as well as reduced levels of sperm production in that testicle. It's actually unclear if the risks are caused by the testicle staying in the abdominal cavity/inguinal canal for too long, ie wrong temperature environment or if the risks are because there was something about the testicle itself which both caused it not to descend and gives it an inherently greater risk of malignancy and poor sperm production. In either case there is value in getting the testicle brought down into the scrotum so that it can be more easily palpated therefore any, still very small chance of, malignancy can be picked up earlier and for cosmetic reasons too.

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serenity · 19/02/2007 10:31

DS1 had the op for an undescended testicle 2 weeks before his first birthday, and it was more unpleasant for us than it was for him. He's now 9 and you can just find one of the scars if you look really closely.

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franca70 · 19/02/2007 10:47

ds had his operation when he was nine months in Italy, where they reccomend to treat it before 2yrs. Ups, just seen pruni post.

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mm22bys · 19/02/2007 10:52

Thanks for your input, I have done some research and from what I have read it seems the earlier the better, but I don't want him to have the GA TOO early, so have to balance the two.

He's got an appt for when he's almost six months, I'll see what their waiting times are, and if they can't do it before he's one maybe we'll have to look at other options..

Thanks again.

OP posts:

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magicmummy · 19/02/2007 11:07

My DS1 had his operation at 13 months under a GA. Very difficult to see scar now. Was advised the earlier the better too (If an undescended testicle twists it can cause lots more problems & also advised about fertility in future). Was also advised that even though he had op, the testicle could retract back up in the future and he may need it done again (fortunately this hasn't happened - DS1 now 6)

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debliz5 · 19/02/2007 12:51

My son had it when he was 15 months. I, too, was informed that the earlier the better. If the testicle doesn't come down by 6-12 months, better operate then. I also was afraid of the GA, actually more afraid of that than the actual operation, but the doctors reassured me that GA after 3 months of age is not dangerous. DS went through it very well. He woke up immediately after the op (which took about 1/2 an hour), and after 2 hours we were discharged home . The op is the best way to deal with undescended testicles (if they don't come down bythemselves...) inorder to make sure they don't cause any problems in the future.
Good Luck!

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Flowertop · 19/02/2007 14:53

Hi DS1 had the op under GA and as everyone here has said it was so much worse for us than him. He revelled in being made a fuss of both in and out of the hospital. Best wishes to you.
XX

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CristinaTheAstonishing · 19/02/2007 14:57

They usually fix de other one too at the same time.

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jabberwocky · 20/02/2007 20:01

Okay, talked to dh who was the one with ds1 at the docs the last couple of times. It turns out that the diagnosis was for retractile testicle. But there's still concern b/c it is staying up more than down at this point.

Anyone know anymore about this? I did google undescended and scared myself about letting it go this long.

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Romy1 · 22/02/2007 10:45

To any mum who has had their son's testicle sorted out around 1 year - my 13-month old is having his done next Fri and I am looking for any tips, ideas, suggestions and experience: e.g. did he wake up very grumpy, did he seem very painful, how do you keep them from doing too much and (my "big" worry) how did you manage the not-eating thing? His is a morning surgery, so my husband suggested a "dreamfeed" at around 11:00PM the night before, did anybody try this? Look forward to hearing responses...

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Bozza · 22/02/2007 10:57

Romy DS is booked in for this op in April so I can't answer the specific queries regarding that but he has had several other ops so can help re the ga etc. I would definitely suggest a dream feed as this would also help with thirst. Then what we did was get DS out of bed and put him straight in the car in his pjs and took him to the hospital rather than going throught the normal morning routine but missing out breakfast. Fortunately because your DS is so young he should be early on the list but you would probably still be waiting a couple of hours, because of all the pre-op stuff, assessment by the nurse, meeting with the anaethesist, meeting the surgeon, putting on the magic cream (to numb the hands) etc.

DS has woken up really grumpy and disorentated every time except once. It has got harder as he has got bigger (he is 6) because he was thrashing about. I would take some of your DS's favourite familiar foods with you for afterwards such as the particular brand of yoghurt you buy or whatever.

DS's was discovered by us in the bath. He had previously passed checkups, so I think it is maybe a bit more retractile. However it is better than DH who had to have his undescended one removed at 22. Although we had no trouble at all conceiving our DCs - first one took 2 months, second one five minutes!

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Bozza · 22/02/2007 11:00

DS's first op was 2 days before his first birthday so similar age - and it was really the easiest one. He woke up crying (think he was starving) but once he'd had a cup of milk and some grapes he was much jollier.

The absolute worst bit though is leaving the child in theatre. It is all so quick from them being awake and lively to out cold, although you are usually accompanied by a nurse because only one parent is allowed in theatre. But you get through it.

Good luck to your little one.

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debliz5 · 24/02/2007 16:17

Romy, as I wrote before, my DS had it when he was 15 months and everything went fine. We were at the hospital very early in the morning (6:45!), as we were told he will be the first operation that day. It was best that time, because he wasn't hungry yet. I was told he shouldn't eat anything from mid-night and no drinking, even water, from 2 am. I breastfed him last at 1 am and he didn't seem to want to eat in the morning (so your husbandn's suggestion is a good one). The addmision was quite quick as we had a prep day before (nurse, checkups, explanations about the whole procedure,anaethesist etc.). I was with him up untill he was asleep. I went in with him to the operating room and They put him to sleep with a gas mask. It was far less traumatic for me than I had thought. The only terrible thing for me, as someone said here, is leaving him alone in that cold operating room. I felt terrible and very tearful, but as soon as he woke up I felt better again.
The oparation took about half an hour and when I was called to see him in the recovery room he was crying but once I held him he was calmer. He breastfed a bit and fell asleep. When he woke up, he was starving and ate everything I had brought - apples, crackers, bread (something light). Once they checked to see he was ok, alert and very eager to leave, they discharged us.
By the evening, he was completely fine (actually much before that). he Was crawling all over the place.
They told us no horse or bike riding for a few weeks. He managed that... otherwise, they told us that whatever he feels ok to do, is fine.
It all went really fine . I'm sure your DS will be fine too. It was much more traumatic for me than for him
If you have any more questions, I will be happy to answer them.
Good Luck!!!

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Romy1 · 01/03/2007 19:42

Well, tomorrow is our big day...DS has had a good meal this evening and we will try to give a dreamfeed around 10:30-ish. We have been requested to be there between 6:45 and 7:30 so we will leave around 6:15. Thanks so much for your messages....will post something hopefully tomorrow or day after...

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Bubbaloo · 01/03/2007 19:45

Best of luck for tomorrow.Ds was absolutely fine after his 2 weeks ago and the stitches have just started to dissolve.Let us know how it goes.

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debliz5 · 02/03/2007 07:15

Good Luck!!!! Waiting to hear how it all went

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Romy1 · 02/03/2007 19:19

Phew, what a day, but a good day. Surgery started at 8:30 and they rang us at 9:30 to let us know he was in recovery. DS did me proud and did not cry even when he had his canula put in, though I did straight after he went off. He made up for it after the operation though, but after a bottle of milk, some fruit and of course Petit Filou he cheered up immensely and we were allowed home at 1:00. He's been fine all evening (after a nice long nap from 1:30 till 4:45) and has now gone to bed after a quick wash rather than his ususal bath. Apparently he also had a hernia which was fixed at the same time. DH was a solid rock today and was able to console him after DS woke up from his surgery. Hopefully DS will sleep well tonight as he has been dosed up with Calpol and Calprofen. Thanks all for your advice and good wishes and good luck with your DSs

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2boysmacca · 02/03/2007 19:43

Glad to hear it went well. My ds had his op a week after his 1st Birthday in SE London. He was absolutely fine afterwards, kept up with the regular calpol/nurofen combination. After a few months he developed a small abscess on his testicle, which staretd as a tiny tiny pin prick. Everyone told me I was being paranoid but within 24 hours it had devloped into something quite large. It was lanced quickly enough. Just make sure you keep an eye on the wound. My sons scar is more visible on his groin than on his testicle and they are not symmetrical (his balls rather than his groin ).

I bet you're glad today is over and done with.