Patterns of referral and treatment of undescended testis: a 12-year experience in a single centre.

BACKGROUND

It is now recommended that orchidopexy be performed by 18 months.

AIMS: To examine trends in the referral pattern and treatment of cryptorchidism in the south of Ireland. Secondly, to see how well EAU guidelines on orchidopexy management are being implemented in current practice.

METHODS

A total of 145 orchidopexies performed over two periods, 1997-1998 (n = 31) and 2007-2008 (n = 114), were reviewed.

RESULTS

There was a decrease in the mean age at referral, review in OPD and orchidopexy from 5.88, 6.26, and 6.98 years, respectively, in the first period, to 2.74, 3.45 and 4.1 years between 2007 and 2008. The proportion of boys having surgery before the age of 18 months was minimal and showed no improvement over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there was a reduction in the age at orchidopexy, only a marginal number of boys underwent the surgery by 18 months of life.