title: The utility of ultrasonography in the management of undescended testis in a developing country.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of ultrasonography to localize the testis in children with undescended testis is still controversial. This study was designed to determine the value of ultrasound in the preoperative assessment of children with undescended testis in a resource-limited setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective evaluation of all boys undergoing operation for undescended testes at the University of Nigeria Teaching hospital Enugu from June 2005 to December 2009 was performed. The operative findings were compared with the preoperative findings on clinical and ultrasound examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 49 boys with 60 undescended testes (unilateral in 38, and bilateral in 11 cases) were operated on during the study period. The median age of the patients was 5 (range, 1-14) years. At operation, 39 (65%) testes were located at the inguinal region, 17 (28.3%) were intra-abdominal, and 4 (6.7%) were vanishing testes. Of the inguinal testes, 30 (77%) were clinically palpable, and 38 (97.4%) accurately localized by ultrasound (p = 0.006). The intra-abdominal testes, the vanishing testes, and one inguinal testis were not identified with ultrasound. However, two testes identified as inguinal by ultrasound were found intraabdominal at operation, and two of the vanishing testes were recognized as viable testes by ultrasound.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound may identify some otherwise nonpalpable inguinal testes and hence affect therapeutic approach. It may, however, be unhelpful in truly abdominal and vanishing testes.
authors.affiliation: Sub-Department of Paediatric Surgery, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu 400001, Nigeria. sebekenze@gmail.com
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ekenze
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Nwankwo
authors.forename: P C N
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Okere
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D056126:Orchiopexy; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography