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What is cryptorchidism, and is it different from an undescended testicle?
The testicle forms near the kidneys in the womb and, in the final months of pregnancy, descends through the groin (inguinal) canal into the scrotum. When this journey is not completed, the testicle remains in the abdomen, in the inguinal canal, or just above the scrotum; in medical terms, this is called cryptorchidism, meaning "hidden testicle."
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- Although the definition sounds simple, it covers several different situations. The testicle may have remained high from birth; it may have completed its descent but settled in the wrong place (ectopic testicle); or it may have been in the scrotum as an infant and then moved up during growth (ascending testicle). A retractile testicle, which descends into the scrotum but is occasionally pulled back up by reflex, falls outside this definition and usually does not require surgery.
- The question families ask most often is: "Is the testicle there, or is it missing altogether?" In most cases the testicle is present and simply in the wrong location. A testicle lost before birth due to a circulation problem (vanishing testis) or one that never developed at all is much less common, and this distinction is made through examination, and if needed, evaluation under anesthesia.
- Cryptorchidism and undescended testicle are two names for the same condition: cryptorchidism is the medical term of Latin origin, while undescended testicle is its plain-language equivalent, and there is no difference in meaning between them. You will most often encounter the medical term in hospital reports, operative notes, and referral letters. Whichever name a report uses, the condition being described and the path forward are the same.
