If the testicle can be moved down into scrotum easily and painlessly and remain there for a time, the doctor may safely diagnose the condition as testicular retraction. If the testicle can be moved only partially into the scrotum or there is pain with movement, the diagnosis may be undescended testicles. It may be easier to diagnose the condition by the age of 5 or 6 years. A retractile testicle is sometimes misdiagnosed as an ascending testicle. The key difference between these two conditions is whether the testicle can be easily guided down to the scrotum.
If a testicle had been in the scrotum but has risen up into the groin and cannot be easily pulled back down, the condition is known as an ascending testicle. There is usually no obvious cause of ascending testicle. Monitoring a retractile testicle to see if it sometimes comes down into the scrotum may help determine if the testicle is retractile rather than ascending, which can require surgery to correct the problem.
In most cases, no treatment is needed for testicular retraction. The condition will go away around the time puberty begins, if not before. Until the testicle descends permanently, this is a condition that should be monitored and evaluated by a doctor at annual checkups.
If a retractile testicle becomes an ascending testicle, then surgery may be necessary to move the testicle into the scrotum permanently. The procedure is called orchiopexy. During the procedure, the surgeon detaches the testicle and the spermatic cord, which is attached to and protects the testicle from any surrounding tissue in the groin.
The testicle is then moved into the scrotum. If it appears that one or both testicles have not descended or have ascended after having previously been in the scrotum, make an appointment with a pediatrician.
As your son gets older and learns more about his body, talk about the scrotum and testicles. Explain that there are usually two testicles in the scrotum, but if he has only one that it is a condition that can usually be treated. It does not mean there is anything wrong with him. It simply means that one testicle is a little higher than where it should be located. Teach your son how to check his own testicles. Tell him to gently feel around the scrotum.
Doing this in a warm shower is helpful, as the scrotum will hang a little lower. Tell him if he notices any changes in his testicles to let you know. Getting into the habit of testicular self-checks will benefit him later in life as he checks for signs of testicular cancer. Testicular retraction may be alarming to new parents, but it is usually a harmless condition that resolves on its own. The cremaster muscle is a thin pouch-like muscle in which a testicle rests.
When the cremaster muscle contracts, it pulls the testicle up toward the body. The cremaster reflex can be stimulated by rubbing a nerve on the inner thigh and by emotion, such as fear and laughter.
The cremaster is also activated by a cold environment. If the cremaster reflex is strong enough, it can result in a retractile testicle, pulling the testicle out of the scrotum and up into the groin. Retractile testicles are generally not associated with complications, aside from a greater risk of the testicle becoming an ascending testicle.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview A retractile testicle is a testicle that may move back and forth between the scrotum and the groin. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic.
Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Kolon TF, et al. Evaluation and treatment of cryptorchidism: AUA guideline. Journal of Urology. Kliegman RM, et al. It's important not to confuse undescended testicles with "retractile" testicles.
After 6 months of age, a male child has a reflex that temporarily pulls the testicles up to protect them when he's cold or frightened. These testicles are in the scrotum at other times and don't need treatment. Only testicles that are truly undescended need treatment. A pediatric urologist can tell the difference with a physical exam. The testicles need to be 2 to 3 degrees cooler than normal body temperature to make sperm.
The scrotum is many degrees cooler than body temperature, and so is the ideal place for the testicle. Testicles that don't drop into the scrotum won't work normally. The longer the testicles are too warm, the lower chances are that the sperm in that testicle will mature normally. This can be a cause of infertility, especially when both testicles are affected. See More See Less. The testicles or "testes" are 2 organs that hang in a pouch-like skin sac the scrotum below the penis.
The testicles are where sperm and testosterone the male sex hormone are made. The scrotum keeps the testicles in a cooler setting than the body. This is because sperm can't grow at body temperature. During childhood, sperm in the testicles go through a process that results in mature sperm at puberty. Normal testicles form early in a baby boy's growth.
They form in the lower belly abdomen , but descend, or "drop," into the scrotum toward the end of pregnancy.
Normal testicles attach themselves with stretchable tissue in the bottom of the scrotum. This is controlled by the baby's normal hormones.
In most children with this health issue, it's not known why the testicles fail to drop. It may be because the testicles aren't normal to start with.
In other cases, there's a mechanical problem. The testicles drop but miss the scrotum, ending up next to the scrotum instead. These are called "ectopic testicles. No studies have shown that the problem is caused by something the mother did or ate during pregnancy. Sometimes the testicles drop but don't attach in the scrotum. Then, when the boy grows, it becomes clear that the testicles aren't attached.
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