​What kinds of symptoms do patients experience before receiving treatment?

Not seeing or feeling a testicle where it is expected in the scrotum is the main sign of an undescended testicle. Testicles form in the abdomen during fetal development. During the last couple of months of normal fetal development, the testicles gradually descend from the abdomen through a tube-like passageway in the groin (inguinal canal) into the scrotum. With an undescended testicle, that process stops or is delayed.

​What is the impact on patients’ lives of living with these conditions?

In order for testicles to develop and function normally, they need to be slightly cooler than normal body temperature. The scrotum provides this cooler environment. Complications of a testicle not being located where it is supposed to be include: -Testicular cancer: the risk is greater for undescended testicles located in the abdomen than in the groin, and when both testicles are affected. Surgically correcting an undescended testicle will decrease the risk of future testicular cancer. -Fertility problems: Low sperm counts, poor sperm quality and decreased fertility are more likely to occur among men who've had an undescended testicle. This can be due to abnormal development of the testicle, and might get worse if the condition goes untreated for an extended period of time. -Testicular torsion: Testicular torsion is the twisting of the spermatic cord, which contains blood vessels, nerves and the tube that carries semen from the testicle to the penis. This painful condition cuts off blood to the testicle. -Trauma: If a testicle is located in the groin, it might be damaged from pressure against the pubic bone. -Inguinal hernia: If the opening between the abdomen and the inguinal canal is too loose, a portion of the intestines can push into the groin.

What cultural or regional factors affect the treatment of these conditions?

In the country, it’s hard to have access to good health insurance coverage, is rare that patients are driven to a specialized institution, and even when they are, families often don’t have enough money to pay for the treatment or to travel to the city where they can access surgery.

What does the treatment process look like?

A pediatric surgeon does a detailed review of the patient’s condition and determines the best surgical approach. After surgery, the patient has a follow-up appointment to remove stitches.

What is the impact of this treatment on the patient’s life?

Bringing down the testicle may improve its function and prevent it from being damaged. An undescended testicle has a higher risk of testicular cancer. Although bringing the testicle down into the scrotum may not fully remove that risk, it will allow doctors to be able to feel any abnormalities in the testicle on routine physical exams throughout a child’s lifetime. An undescended testicle may also have a hernia associated with it that will need to be fixed during the same surgery to bring the testicle down.

What potential side effects or risks come with this treatment?

As in any surgery, there’s a risk of bleeding or infection.

How accessible is treatment in the area? What is the typical journey like for a patient to receive care?

In the country, it’s hard to have access to good health insurance coverage, is rare that patients are driven to a specialized institution, and even when they are, families often don’t have enough money to pay for the treatment.

What are the alternatives to this treatment?

There’s no alternative.