Anyone elses DS had surgery to correct retractile testicles?

[MegaLegs]

DS1 is due to have his op at the end of October. I'm dreading it. mostly because he'll be having a general but was wondering about the recovery time. He has a pre op assesmment in a few weeks time and I know they'll answer my questions but just wanted to hear another families' experience.

Is that the same as an undescended testicle?

Not quite but I think the surgery is the same. Undescended testicles never move into the scrotum, they stay up in the groin. Retractile testicles move up and down, sometimes in the scrotum sometimes high up in the groin. DS's should be staying down in the scrotum by now but they still tend to disappear.

Oh, OK. DS1 had the op for an undescended testicle the week before his 1st birthday and it was fine. I think I was more traumatised than him - hated having him put under. They use a mask at that age, and he struggled a bit as he went under which I found upsetting. However, once he came out and got over the intial grumpy/tired/p'ed off feeling, he was absolutely fine, like he hadn't had anything done at all. The cuts are really small, and didn't seem to bother him at all. How old will your DS be?

Ds has one retractile testicle. My understanding is that as long as they move up and down they're ok but a truly undescended one needs surgery.

Ds2 had both his fixed earlier this year, had a John wayne walk for a few days and was sore but after a few days we were struggling to stop him from runningand climbing etc. Couldn't ride bike etc for 6wks.
Think it must vary as I wouldn't describe ds's cuts as small but he is 4 so bigger, should think that if they move up and down all ready that it will be a smaller easier op any way, just be prepared for some bruising, it wasn't pretty

DS will be 7. Quite late but they kept checking him and saying we'll leave him another 6 months and see if they stay down.
I'm wondering how long he'll be off school and when he'll be able to start his swimming lessons again

I'd be grateful for any further advice anybody has on this subject of retentio testis. My son, now over two, has quite severely retracted testicles. We were told to wait until he was two because an invasive operation was likely to be needed and he would be too traumatised if younger. I understand that in the UK an operation is usually done by the age of 2. In the USA, by 3.
I am currently struggling to get a first consultation. I have been going round in circles for several weeks, it has been a month since we saw our GP. The NHS "choose and book" system has no bookable appointments and I get passed from one unhelpful person to the other at Kingston hospital (our nearest). Meanwhile the consultant's PA in on holiday with (apparently) no one covering. I am pulling my hair out. My son's "case" is supposed to be urgent and priority. What a joke. Anyway, I am ranting. What I'd like to know from any other parents who can help is:

• is the operation usually in-patient? If so, how many days in hospital?
• is it traumatic at all?
• are there any possible side FX or risks of the operation?
• apart from the risk to a boy's fertility, are there any other health problems/symptoms associated with this condition you have been informed about?
• is it worth going private, or will the NHS move quickly if need be once I can get through the consultant's door?

Sorry to ask so many things. There's no guidance I can find on the WWW. Only medical papers on unusual cases.

Thank you so much to anyone who can spare the time to drop me a line.
Best regards,
G