No relationship of testicular size at orchiopexy with fertility in men whopreviously had unilateral cryptorchidism

Purpose: We determined whether testicular size at orchiopexy is predictive of fertility potential and whether size correlates with sperm parameters, h ormone levels or testicular volume in adulthood. Materials and Methods: Testicular size obtained from the operative notes of patients who underwent unilateral orchiopexy was classified as normal, sma ll or large for age. These data were compared with outcome data. Paternity data were included on 166 men who reported achieving or unsuccessfully atte mpting paternity for 12 or more months. Of the men 49 provided blood for ho rmone level measurement, 43 underwent semen analysis and in 29 testicular v olume was determined. Results: In the 166 men, including 98, 65 and 3 with small, normal and larg e testes for age at. orchiopexy, respectively, there was no difference in p aternity based on testicular size. Of those who achieved paternity time to conception did not differ based on size. Mean age at surgery also did not d iffer, nor did the percent of small versus normal testes in the age categor ies 0 to 2, 3 to 5, 6 to 8 and 9 to 11 years. There was no difference in me n with small or normal testicular size at surgery in mean luteinizing hormo ne, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone or inhibin B. Sperm density, motility and morphology, and volume in adulthood of a previously undescend ed testis, previously descended testis or previously undescended and descen ded testes did not differ in these 2 groups, although the previously undesc ended testis was smaller than the contralateral testis. Conclusions: In men with a history of unilateral cryptorchidism small testi cular size at orchiopexy is not associated with decreased paternity (89.8%) , abnormal hormone levels, a lower sperm count or decreased testicular volu me in adulthood.