13 Years' experience with the combined hormonal therapy of cryptorchidism.
OBJECTIVE
We analyze the results of the combined treatment with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) of a large series of patients with cryptorchidism.


METHODS
Between 1987 and 1999 and after strict differentiation between cryptorchid, retractile and gliding testes, 2,467 boys with 2,962 cryptorchid-gliding testes were treated with the combined hormonal therapy. LH-RH was administrated as a nasal spray at a dosage of 1.2 microg daily for a period of 4 weeks. HCG was injected intramuscularly, 5 times at 2-day intervals at a dosage adjusted according to the age.


RESULTS
In the prospective study 2,476 boys with 2,962 cryptorchid testes were hormonally treated. Of the 2,962 evaluated cases 1,200 (40.52%) have been treated surgically after the hormone therapy. In 1,762 cases, 59.48% of cryptorchid testes were in the scrotum after combined hormone treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with LH-RH and HCG induced the descent of the testes to a normal scrotal position of boys with cryptorchidism in 59.48% of the evaluated cases. The combined treatment was effective for inducing descent of cryptorchid and gliding testes. According to the evaluated intraoperative findings, the failure of the combined therapy in 40.52% of the cases is due to the fact that the free descent is limited by local factors such as anatomical alterations of the inguinal canal, epididymal abnormalities or ectopic distal attachment of the lig. testis.
Giannopoulos
M F
MF
Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Heraklion, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Vlachakis
I G
IG
Charissis
G C
GC
D000336:Aerosols; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000150:complications; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000336:Aerosols; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone