Fertility potential: A comparison of intra-abdominal and intracanalicular testes by age groups in children

We compared a group of intra-abdominal (IA) with intracanalicular (IC) test es of the same age in order to see if there were differences in the fertili ty potential of the testes in these two locations. We also wished to determ ine at what age, if any, differences became apparent. Semithin (1 mum thick ) sections of 54 IA and 103 IC testes between the ages of 3 months and 5 ye ars were evaluated: and the spermatic index (SI) calculated for each. The t wo groups were compared using mathematical models to describe the relations hip between age and SI. Models of both IA and IC testes show a sharp declin e in the SI during the first 1.8 years of life and remain near zero thereaf ter. The models are statistically indistinguishable, suggesting there is no detectable difference in the fertility potential of IA and IC testes up to 5 years, The SI appears to reach a critically low value in both groups bet ween 8 and 9 months of age, suggesting that surgical intervention would be appropriate before this time. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.