[Cryptorchidism and fertility].

This article describes a fertility study based on 490 cases of surgically treated undescended testicles. Some of the patients were seen very early, and others later, even after puberty. The results are assessed as a function of the onset of pregnancy, or, failing this, on the basis of spermograms, and as a function of whether one or both testicles were undescended. Among the married patients with a unilateral complaint, the paternity rate was 69 p. cent, failing to 43 per cent for bilateral cases. Their spermograms showed an average count of 33.7 X 10(6)/ml for unilateral cryptorchids, and 3.66 X 10(6)/ml for bilateral. The surgical attitude to be adopted is discussed with particular emphasis on patients seen late.