Doctor warns: Don't let children get undescended testicles, they are susceptible to cancer and infertility

Doctors at Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, perform surgery on a child patient - Photo: Provided by the hospital

Information from Children's Hospital 2 (HCMC) on the afternoon of September 15 said that baby NVL (13 months old, living in Tien Giang) was brought to Children's Hospital 2 by his mother because he could not see his testicles in his left scrotum. His mother discovered this while bathing him.

At Children's Hospital 2, the baby was diagnosed with undescended testicles on the left side and was scheduled for surgery to return the testicles to the correct position.

According to Dr. Pham Ngoc Thach - Deputy Director of Children's Hospital 2, undescended testicles is a condition in which one or both testicles fail to descend into the scrotum after birth.

Normally, the testicles move from the abdomen to the scrotum during fetal development. However, in some children, this process is interrupted, resulting in the testicles being located in an abnormal location such as the inguinal canal or the abdomen.

During the exam, the doctor will examine the scrotum to determine if there are testicles. If no testicles are felt, the doctor may also examine the groin area to look for them. In some cases, an ultrasound may be used to determine the location of an undescended testicle.

According to doctors, undescended testicles are a relatively common condition in children. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are important to prevent complications such as infertility, testicular cancer and testicular torsion.

If you suspect your child has undescended testicles, take him to a specialist for examination and advice.

Treatments for undescended testicles

Dr. Pham Ngoc Thach said that in some cases, the testicles can descend into the scrotum on their own within the first few months after birth, especially the first 6 months. The doctor can monitor the child's condition and re-evaluate after 6 months, up to 1 year.

Doctors can treat children with hormones. Specifically, using the hormone HCG to stimulate the testicles to descend into the scrotum. However, this method is not always effective.

In addition, surgery to lower the testicle is the main treatment for undescended testicles. This surgery is usually performed when the child is 6-12 months old. During the surgery, the doctor will lower the testicle into the scrotum and fix it in the proper position.

Laparoscopy is indicated in cases where the testicles cannot be found on examination. Laparoscopy can determine the exact location of the testicles in the abdomen and bring them down into the scrotum.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bac-si-canh-bao-dung-de-tre-mac-benh-tinh-hoan-an-de-bi-ung-thu-vo-sinh-20240915180359576.htm