title: Do retractile testes have anatomical anomalies?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the incidence of anatomical anomalies in patients with retractile testis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied prospectively 20 patients (28 testes) with truly retractile testis and compared them with 25 human fetuses (50 testes) with testis in scrotal position. We analyzed the relations among the testis, epididymis and patency of the processus vaginalis (PV). To analyze the relations between the testis and epididymis, we used a previous classification according to epididymis attachment to the testis and the presence of epididymis atresia. To analyze the structure of the PV, we considered two situations: obliteration of the PV and patency of the PV. We used the Chi-square test for contingency analysis of the populations under study (p<0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fetuses ranged in age from 26 to 35 weeks post-conception (WPC) and the 20 patients with retractile testis ranged in ages from 1 to 12 years (average of 5.8). Of the 50 fetal testes, we observed complete patency of the PV in 2 cases (4%) and epididymal anomalies (EAs) in 1 testis (2%). Of the 28 retractile testes, we observed patency of the PV in 6 cases (21.4%) and EA in 4 (14.28%). When we compared the incidence of EAs and PV patency we observed a significantly higher prevalence of these anomalies in retractile testes (p=0.0116).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retractile testis is not a normal variant with a significant risk of patent processos vaginalis and epididymal anomalies.
authors: Unidade de Pesquisa Urogenital, Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Kleber M
authors: KM
authors: Anderson
authors: Unidade de Pesquisa Urogenital, Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Suelen F
authors: SF
authors: Costa
authors: Unidade de Pesquisa Urogenital, Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Francisco J B
authors: FJ
authors: Sampaio
authors: Unidade de Pesquisa Urogenital, Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors: Luciano A
authors: LA
authors: Favorito
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000150:complications* / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery; D004822:Epididymis / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D005333:Fetus / Q000196:embryology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006848:Testicular Hydrocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013737:Testis / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology
keywords: Cryptorchidism; Epididymis; Retractile testicle