Orchidopexy (child) is a surgery to move a boy’s testicle that has not descended or moved down to its proper place in the scrotum.
Undescended testicles are when a child’s testicles are not in their usual place in the scrotum. Whilst in the womb, a boy’s testicles develop inside his abdomen. Towards the end of pregnancy, the testicles travel through a passage into the scrotum. If the testicles don't descend by the time the child is six months, it is very unlikely they will descend without treatment.
An orchidopexy is normally performed under general anaesthetic as day surgery and takes about an hour. It involves making a cut in the groin to locate the undescended testicle and a second cut to move it downwards and reposition it in the scrotum.
Sometimes the testicle is higher in the abdomen and laparoscopic surgery is carried out to locate it before repositioning it. The surgeon passes a small laparoscope tube containing a light source and a camera through a small cut in your child's abdomen. The bringing down of a testicle from the abdomen may be performed in one operation or two stages.
An orchidopexy to treat undescended testicles is best carried out in early childhood, just before or around when your child is 12 months old.
Undescended testicles should be corrected just before or around one year of age.
The benefits of orchidopexy surgery include:
The cost of an orchidopexy (child) will depend on where the testicle is located, the exact procedure that is performed and your Ramsay hospital of choice.
You will receive a formal quotation price for your child’s orchidopexy following a consultation with one of our expert paediatric urologists. This formal quote for your surgery will be valid for 60 days.
Ramsay is recognised by all major medical insurers. Orchidopexy (child) procedures are covered by most medical insurance policies. We advise you to obtain written authorisation from your insurance provider before your son’s surgery.
We have a number of finance options if you are paying for your son’s surgery yourself. These include:
The recovery process after an orchidopexy (child) is usually straightforward. You can expect your
child to go home the same day as their operation.
Your child may have some pain. You can give them over-the-counter pain relief such as Ibuprofen or paracetamol to ensure they are comfortable during their recovery.
Most children return to school after about a week.
Your son should avoid activities such as bike riding, trampolining, rollerblading and rough play where there is a risk of an injury to the genitals until their wounds have healed.
We will arrange a follow-up appointment to check your son’s progress.
An orchidopexy (child) is a surgical procedure to move down a boy’s undescended testes from their groin into their scrotum.
Orchidopexy (child) surgery is regularly performed at Ramsay Health Care.
We work alongside expert and highly skilled paediatric and urology surgeons. They offer convenient appointments for your son’s consultation and surgery and they will fully discuss with you what the procedure entails and answer all of your questions.
Our team are experienced in treating children with undescended testicles. They will sensitively care for your son during this procedure and his recovery and try to alleviate some of your anxieties as a parent.
A General Practitioner (GP) can be a key resource in helping manage anxiety. While they may not provide specialised mental health therapy (like a psychologist or psychiatrist), they can offer several forms of support and guidance which we will delve into.
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