REFLUENT TESTICULAR AUTOTRANSPLANTATION BY DOMINIS METHOD - PERSONAL-EXPERIENCE WITH 7 PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS

Autotransplantation presently constitutes the best option for the surg ical treatment of non-palpable retained intra-abdominal testes. Silber first proposed this technique in 1978; it is not suitable in children under 3 years of age because of the small caliber of the testicular a rtery. In 1986 Domini, mindful of-the problem of arterial vascularisat ion, carried out ''refluent testicular autotransplantation'' (RTAT), w here a natural anastomosis between the testicular and deferential arte ries is used. Venous drainage is guaranteed by performing a microsurgi cal anastomosis between the internal spermatic and inferior epigastric veins. At our institution this technique has been employed since 1990 , replacing staged orchidopexy. We report a 2-year experience (1990-19 92) in seven children who underwent RTAT and discuss the results obtai ned and the technique used.