Orchiopexy

Orchiopexy is a surgical procedure to treat testicular torsion and undescended testicles.

Conditions

• Testicular torsion — Considered a medical emergency, testicular torsion occurs when tissues around the testicle are not attached well. This causes the testes to twist around the spermatic cord. When this happens, blood flow to the testicle is cut off, and pain and swelling ensue.
• Undescended testicles — This describes the condition when an infant boy’s testicle(s) fails to drop into the normal place in the scrotum.

Procedure

When a child has an undescended testicle, a doctor will perform an orchiopexy. During the procedure, a one-inch cut is made in the groin area. Then, the testicle is released from all nearby tissues so that it moves easily into the scrotum where it is stitched into place.

When testicular torsion occurs, the patient’s testicle is untwisted by means of an orchiopexy and then stitched into place to prevent further incidents.

After the Procedure

The patient may feel tired and require extra sleep over the next two to three days.