Diagnostiek van cryptorchisme: gegevens van een instelling voor jeugdgezondheidszorg en chirurgische bevindingen

– The clinical and surgical diagnosis of ‘undescended testis’ was compared to the diagnosis of the Youth Health Service (YHS), based on stored data of the testis position in early childhood. The surgical finding of an open processus vaginalis peritonei was associated with malformations of testis and epididymis and proved to be a sign of cryptorchidism. That corresponded fairly well with the unanimous YHS-registration of a nonscrotal testis position between age 0-2 years. On the other hand, the surgical finding of a closed processus vaginalis peritonei was associated with a macroscopically unimpaired development of testis and epididymis and corresponded with the unanimous YHS-registration of a scrotal testisposition in all physical examinations between the age 0-2 years. Thus, in these cases ‘undescended testis’ seems to be rather retractile than undescended. At physical examination retractility can be a misleading factor, especially in the age above 4 years. Reliable information about the situation in early childhood could often not be obtained from the parents, whereas the YHS-data about the testis position in early childhood often were lacking, particularly in the age group above 4 years.