Undescended Testis: Prevalence and Clinical Features

Undescended testis is the most common congenital abnormality of the male urogenital tract being present in about 3% of full term and in up to 30% of preterm newborn infants. In general this condition is transient, as in the majority of cases the testes descend into the scrotum within the first months of life. The diagnosis is primarily based on clinical examination and subsequent morphological approach and endocrine tests. The latter are particularly useful for differentiation of cryptorchidism from anorchia and the vanishing testis syndrome. The undescended testis can cause an impairment of normal spermatogenesis. The risk of developing a testicular tumor is four times higher than normal in undescended testis, particularly in intra-abdominal testes. Early diagnosis and management are needed to preserve fertility and improve early detection of testicular malignancy.