An experimental study of the effect of two distinct surgical techniques of orchiopexy on spermatogenesis and testicular damage in cryptorchid testes.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of two different techniques of testicular fixation on testicular function.

DESIGN

Experimental study.

SETTING

Surgical animal laboratory at an academic medical center.

PATIENT(S): Sixteen mature golden hamsters underwent classic transfixation orchiopexy and true dartos pouch orchiopexy.

INTERVENTION(S): Classic transfixation orchiopexy (CTO) involved transfixation of the testicular wall at two different points and fixation of the dartos fascia. True dartos pouch orchiopexy (TDPO) involved creating a window in the dartos fascia, passage of the testicle, and closure of the window from both sides of the testicle.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Flow cytometric separation of testicular cells into haploid, diploid, and tetraploid fractions for histogram analysis.

RESULT(S): A significant decrease in testicular weight was observed in 6 out of 16 animals undergoing CTO. Diploid cells comprised the main cell fraction, and almost no haploid or tetraploid cells were observed, while in the 16 animals undergoing TDPO no change from the control pattern was observed.

CONCLUSION(S): This experimental work supports our clinical impression that TDPO should replace CTO as the method of choice for the treatment of an undescended testicle in children.