title: The role of laparoscopy in the management of impalpable testes.
abstract: Both diagnostic and operative laparoscopy were used in the management of 68 impalpable testes. Twenty-three were either vanishing or atrophied, and were associated with a precarious blood supply. Two were found in the groin, 12 in the inguinal canal, and 32 at variable distances from the internal ring; of these, 2 were in a patient with persistent müllerian duct syndrome. Two atrophied abdominal testes were removed laparoscopically, 3 patients underwent a two-stage Fowler-Stephens procedure, and 28 underwent one-stage, laparoscopically assisted orchidopexy. An algorithm for surgical management of the impalpable testis based on laparoscopic findings is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Ministry of Health, Mafraq Hospital, P.O. Box 2951, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Gohary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000465:Algorithms; D001284:Atrophy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013737:Testis / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology