Evaluating hormonal differences in post-orchidopexy patients: a meta-analysis of palpable vs. nonpalpable undescended testis.

Introduction: Cryptorchidism or undescended testis (UDT) is one of the most common congenital anomalies in male infants. Based on the physical examination, UDT can be classified into palpable and non-palpable. However, despite successful repositioning, the long-term function of the testis is still a concern. This meta-analysis aims to compare the testicular function of palpable UDT and non-palpable UDT post-orchidopexy using hormonal markers such as FSH, LH, and testosterone.

Materials and methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases up to March 2025. Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager (RevMan).

Results: Four eligible studies were included in the analysis, involving 207 patients who underwent orchidopexy for UDT, including 160 with palpable UDT and 47 with non-palpable UDT. There is no significant difference between palpable compared to non-palpable in terms of FSH (MD 0.78 IU/L [95% CI: -0.34 to 1.90], p = 0.14); LH (MD -0.17 IU/L [95% CI: -0.45 to 0.12], p = 0.25); and testosterone (-0.08 IU/L [95% CI: -0.64 to 0.48], p = 0.78).

Conclusions: Testicular functions, including FSH, LH, and testosterone, in palpable UDT did not differ significantly from those in non-palpable UDT.