What are the symptoms of cryptorchidism in children?

Cryptorchidism in children is divided into four categories: intra-abdominal testicles, intra-inguinal testicles, ectopic testicles and retracted testicles. Common treatment methods include endocrine therapy and surgical treatment. This disease is very harmful to children and can easily affect the patient's fertility and lead to a decline in spermatogenesis, so it is best to treat it in time. So what are the manifestations of cryptorchidism in children?

First, what are the symptoms of cryptorchidism in children? Cryptorchidism can occur unilaterally or bilaterally, with unilateral occurrence being more common. In patients with unilateral cryptorchidism, the incidence rate on the right side is slightly higher than that on the left side. However, even with bilateral cryptorchidism, an appropriate amount of androgen is still produced to maintain the development of male secondary sexual characteristics and rarely affect sexual behavior in adulthood. Patients with cryptorchidism without complications generally have no symptoms. The main manifestations are flat scrotum on the affected side, asymmetry of the left and right scrotum in unilateral cases, and hollow and sunken scrotum in bilateral cryptorchids. If complicated with inguinal oblique hernia, a lump will appear on the affected side after activity, accompanied by bloating and discomfort. In severe cases, paroxysmal abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever may occur. If the cryptorchidism is torsion, such as it is located in the inguinal canal or external ring, the main symptom is a local painful mass, there is no normal testicle in the scrotum on the affected side, and the gastrointestinal symptoms are mild. If the hidden testis is located inside the abdomen, the pain after torsion is in the lower abdomen near the inner ring. The symptoms and signs of right-sided internal hidden testis torsion are quite similar to those of acute appendicitis. The main difference is that the tenderness point of internal hidden testis torsion is lower and closer to the inner ring.

Second, if cryptorchidism occurs bilaterally in children, the child will be infertile. Unilateral cryptorchidism can also lead to subfertility or infertility. Therefore, the testicles of cryptorchidism are generally small in size, soft in texture, and have poor elasticity. Sometimes the testicles and epididymis are separated, or there is no epididymis. Therefore, spermatogenesis is poor or even absent. If the testicles remain in the abdominal cavity and inguinal canal for a long time, due to the influence of the "high temperature" in the body, it can cause the spermatogenic base - the seminiferous tubules in the testicles to undergo degeneration or even fibrosis, spermatogonia cannot be produced, and endocrine function also becomes abnormal, making normal fertility impossible.

What are the symptoms of cryptorchidism in children? Testicular atrophy. The descent of male testicles into the scrotum is mainly caused by testicular hypoplasia or atrophy in children. The phenomenon of testicular atrophy in daily life needs to be taken seriously. Malignant changes in the testicles. The risk of malignant changes in men with cryptorchidism is higher than that in normal men, among which the risk of malignant changes in the intra-abdominal testicles is the highest. Congenital defects of the testicles or abnormal positions of the testicles and high ambient temperatures are important causes of malignant changes in cryptorchidism.