ANATOMICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TESTIS AND EPIDIDYMIS DURING THE FETAL PERIOD IN HUMANS (10-36 WEEKS POSTCONCEPTION)

Objective: To determine the anatomy of the epididymis and its relation ship with the testis during the fetal period in normal individuals. Me thods: We studied bilaterally 146 testes and epididymides taken from 7 3 normal fresh human fetuses ranging in age from 10 to 36 weeks postco nception. The epididymal anatomy was classified in six types: type I: the epididymis is connected to the testis by its head and tail and the epididymal body is separated from the testis; type II: the epididymis is completely attached to the testis; type III: the epididymis is att ached to the testis only by its head; type IV: the epididymis is attac hed to the testis only by its tail; type V: the epididymis is complete ly detached from the testis; type VI: segmental atresia of the epididy mis. Results: Normal epididymal anatomy, considered type I and type II , was found in 89.72% and in 7.53% of the cases, respectively. Type II I and type IV epididymal anatomy was found in only 2.05% and 0.68% of the cases, respectively. We did not find types V and VI epididymal abn ormalities. Conclusions: Our results show that irrespective of testicu lar position during the fetal period, the incidence of epididymal abno rmalities in normal fetuses is very low (2.75%) when compared with pre vious reports in patiens with cryptorchidism and/or with a patent proc essus vaginalis (36-79%).