Omphalocele, cryptorchidism, and brain malformations.
Nineteen male infants died with a large omphalocele and 52% had associated cryptorchidism. However, two different groups with both omphalocele and cryptorchidism were recognized: (1) Eleven patients with omphalocele without brain malformation and an incidence of undescended testes not significantly different from the normal population; (2) Eight patients with omphalocele and brain malformation all having cryptorchidism. A comparison of the groups indicated that intact intraabdominal pressure during intrauterine life is not a main driving force of testicular descent, whereas normal testicular descent may occur only when the brain is normally developed. Whenever a child with omphalocele and cryptorchidism is examined, careful evaluation of the central nervous system is indicated. This triad of malformations may have prognostic and therapeutic implications.
D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000150:complications*; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D013577:Syndrome