Epididymal disjunction anomalies in undescended testis - a factor associated with spermatic obstruction

ABSTRACT Background: To analyze the incidence of epididymal anomalies (EAs) associated to spermatic obstruction in patients with undescended testis (UT) according to testicular position and age. Materials and Methods: We studied 87 patients (110 testis) with cryptorchidism and analyzed the presence of EAs correlated with the testicular position, age and patency of the processus vaginalis (PV). To analyze the relations between the testis and epididymis we considered three situations: (a) Normal pattern: the epididymis was attached to the testis at the head and tail and epididymis totally attached to the testis; (b) EAs: when the epididymis was attached to the testis only at the head (Figure-1A) and (c) EAs associated to spermatic obstruction: epididymis was attached to the testis only at the tail (Figure-1B) and when there are no visible connection between testis and epididymis (Figure-1C). We used the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and the Chi-square test for contingency analysis (p <0.05). Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.18 years (SD=2.867). Of 110 testes analyzed, 14 were abdominal (12.72%); 83 inguinal (75.45%) and 13 suprascrotal (11.81%). Normal relationships between testis and epididymis were observed in 54 patients (62.1%) with no significant differences in relation to the patient's age (p=0.666). Epididymal tail disjunction was observed in 23 patients (26.44%), with no significant differences in relation to age (p=0.59). EAs associated to spermatic obstruction were observed in 16 patients (18.4%), also with no significant differences in relation to age (p=0.684). We did not observe significant correlation between the testis position and the incidence of EAs (p=0.119). We did not observe significant correlations between patency of the PV (64.7%) and incidence of EAs (p=0.742). Conclusions: Epididymal anomalies associated with spermatic obstruction are present in almost 20% of undescended testes, without significant correlation with age, testicular position and patency of the PV. This information needs to be correlated to the infertility risk of this congenital anomaly.

Testicular arteries anatomy applied to fowler-sthephens surgery in high undescended testis - a narrative review

ABSTRACT Objectives: In this review we will describe the testicular vessels anatomy and the implications of these vessels in surgical treatment of high undescended testis. Material and Methods: We performed a narrative review of the literature about the role of the testicular arteries anatomy in the treatment of high undescended testis. We also studied two human testes to illustrate the testicular vascularization. Results: Each testis is irrigated by three arteries: testicular artery (internal spermatic artery), a branch of the right aorta; deferential artery (vasal artery), a branch of the inferior vesicle artery that originates from the anterior trunk of internal iliac artery and cremasteric artery (external spermatic artery), a branch of the inferior epigastric artery. There are important communications among the three arteries with visible anastomotic channels between the testicular and deferential arteries. Conclusions: Laparoscopic transection of the testicular vessels by dividing the spermatic vessels (Fowler-Stephens surgery) is safe in patients with high abdominal testis due to the great collateral vascular supply between testicular, vasal and cremasteric arteries; also, two-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy appears to carry a higher rate of success than the single stage approach.

The role of intra-abdominal pressure in human testicular migration

ABSTRACT Objectives: This review aims to study the role of the abdominal wall in testicular migration process during the human fetal period. Materials and Methods: We performed a descriptive review of the literature about the role of the abdominal wall in testicular migration during the human fetal period. Results: The rise in intra-abdominal pressure is a supporting factor for testicular migration. This process has two phases: the abdominal and the inguinal-scrotal stages. The passage of the testis through the inguinal canal occurs very quickly between 21 and 25 WPC. Bilateral cryptorchidism in Prune Belly syndrome is explained by the impaired contraction of the muscles of the abdominal wall; mechanical obstruction due to bladder distention and structural alteration of the inguinal canal, which hampers the passage of the testis during the inguinoscrotal stage of testicular migration. Abdominal wall defects as gastroschisis and omphaloceles are associated with undescended testes in around 30 to 40% of the cases. Conclusions: Abdominal pressure wound is an auxiliary force in testicular migration. Patients with abdominal wall defects are associated with undescendend testis in more than 30% of the cases probably due to mechanical factors; the Prune Belly Syndrome has anatomical changes in the anterior abdominal wall that hinder the increase of intra-abdominal pressure which could be the cause of cryptorchidism in this syndrome.