Orchidopexy
Bringing an undescended testis down into the scrotum and fixing it there.
What is Orchidopexy?
An operation that finds the testis, frees it so it reaches the scrotum without tension, and secures it in a pouch there. Where the testis cannot be felt, laparoscopy is used both to locate it and to bring it down.
Hospital stay
Day care, or 1 to 2 days for abdominal cases.
Performed by
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
- Normal
- The problem
- Healthy for comparison
Why It Is Done
Surgery is advised in these situations. The decision is always made after examining your child, never from a description.
- A testis makes better sperm at the cooler temperature inside the scrotum
- An undescended testis carries a higher lifetime risk of testicular cancer, and one in the scrotum can be examined for life
- It is more prone to twisting and to injury while it sits in the groin
Before the Day
- Best done between 6 and 18 months once the testis has not descended on its own
- Examination in a warm room decides the approach; a scan is often unhelpful and is not relied on
- Fasting instructions from the anaesthetist
During the Operation
- General anaesthetic with a block for pain relief
- Palpable testis: a small groin incision and a small scrotal incision
- Non-palpable testis: laparoscopy through three tiny openings, sometimes in two stages a few months apart
- Any associated hernia sac is repaired at the same time
Afterwards, and at Home
- Day care or one night for a groin orchidopexy; one to two days after a laparoscopic case
- Comfortable within a few days
- Avoid cycling and straddling toys for two to three weeks
What Can Go Wrong
- The testis retracting upwards again, needing a further procedure
- Shrinkage of the testis if its blood supply is tight — more of a risk in abdominal cases
- Bleeding, infection or wound problems
- In a small number, the testis is found to be absent or a remnant, which is removed
Every operation carries risk. These are listed openly because a parent consenting to surgery is entitled to know them — not because they are expected. The surgeon will go through which of them actually apply to your child.
Common Questions
If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the hospital team will answer.
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
Consultant Paediatric & Neonatal Surgeon · Palliyadi, Kanyakumari
Super-specialist surgical care for newborns, infants and children, with expertise in paediatric urology, congenital anomalies, gastro-intestinal surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
Related Pages
Best done before the first birthday, and it is a day-care operation.
The testis is brought down and fixed in the scrotum through a small incision. If your son’s testis was not down at six months, book the assessment now rather than at the next routine review.
Consultation 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM · 24-hour laboratory & pharmacy
In an emergency — green vomiting in a baby, a groin swelling that will not go back, severe tummy pain, or a newborn not passing urine or meconium — come straight to the hospital or to your nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a reply to a message.