CRYPTORCHIDISM IN BOYS WITH CONGENITAL ABDOMINAL-WALL DEFECTS

Cryptorchidism (CPT) has been suggested to be common in boys with cong enital abdominal wall defects (CAWD). It has been hypothesized that th e low intra-abdominal pressure in both omphalocele (OMP) and gastrosch isis (GS) and brain malformations in patients with OMP contribute to t he high incidence of CPT. To determine the incidence of CPT in boys wi th OMP and GS and to assess the relationship of CPT to the size of the AWD, prematurity, and concomitant anomalies, the hospital records and autopsy reports of 113 boys with CAWD (OMP n = 75; GS n = 38) were re viewed. Twelve (16.0%) boys with OMP had undescended testes; 5 (41.0%) of those had bilateral and 4 (23.5%) intraabdominal undescended teste s. The occurrence of CPT in OMP patients did not correlate with the si ze of the AWD, birth weight, or gestational age. However, congenital c ardiac anomalies and cleft lip and palate were significantly more comm on (P < 0.05) among those with CPT. Two (5.0%) boys with GS, both of w hom were born prematurely, had inilateral CPT. In patients with OMP, t he incidence of CPT was significantly higher than that of healthy chil dren. There was a correlation between CPT and congenital midline defec ts such as cardiac anomalies and cleft lip and palate. In patients wit h GS, the incidence of CPT only slightly exceeded that of normal child ren and may have been related to prematurity.