Evaluation of semen parameters and histopathological comparison of inguinal and abdominal orchiectomy specimens in late post pubertal men with unilateral undescended testis.

Abstract

Background: The embryological development of the testicles and their descent to the scrotum is multifactorial process, and the role of the internal inguinal ring has not yet been clarified. In this study, we aimed to assess the role of the internal inguinal ring in this process by comparing the inguinal and abdominal orchiectomy specimens histopathologically. The patients were classified according to localization of the undescended testicle as group 1 (n = 11), consisting of abdominal-localized individuals, and group 2 (n = 40), composed of inguinal-localized individuals. Data regarding age, side of the undescended testicle, testicular volume, spermatic cord length, testosterone level, semen analysis, and histopathological reports of undescended testicles in both groups were analyzed and compared.

Results: The median age of groups 1 and 2 was twenty-one. The median testicular volume was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (p = 0.002). In addition, progressive motility and normal sperm morphology rates were substantially higher in group 2 than in group 1 (p = 0.019 vs p = 0.029). There was no difference between the groups in terms of analyses of histopathological parameters performed in testis tissue. (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Although testicular volume, sperm motility, and normal morphology rates were lower in abdominal testes, no significant differences were found in histopathological parameters between the groups.