What is it?

A boy's testicles start off, during development, inside the abdomen. By the time he is born, they should be down in the scrotal sac. If a testicle is still not down by 6-12 months of age, it may need help getting down or may no longer be alive. If we leave it up high, it will not work properly, can twist around on its own blood supply, and is at a higher risk for tumors.

What might I notice if my child has it?

You might notice that the scrotal sac looks more flat or different than his brother or cousins. His pediatrician may notice that the scrotum is asymmetrical or that one testicle is hard to find or feel. He may surprise you by asking why he only has one ball in the sac. Boys usually don't have pain or infections from this.

What are the treatment options?

There is an outpatient procedure called an Orchi(d)opexy in which the testicle is carefully brought down into the scrotal sac.

Orchiopexy