BACKGROUND:

Testicular pathologies in children are frequent and can be catalogued as congenital and acquired. The congenital defects that require orchiectomy are vanishing testis and testicular atrophy, and the acquired ones are testicular torsion and testicular tumors.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of the present study was to determine the indications for orchiectomy performed on pediatric patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The case records of pediatric patients that underwent orchiectomy at the Hospital General Manuel Gea González within the time frame of 2002 to 2017 were reviewed in a descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study. The variables of age, location of the affected testis, imaging study reports (ultrasound and tomography), surgical complications, histologic diagnosis, and testicular prosthesis placement were evaluated. The information on patients diagnosed with testicular torsion included the time interval from symptom onset to surgical intervention. In patients with testicular tumor, a history of cryptorchidism was determined and in cases of vanishing testis, the surgical approach was registered. Only percentages were calculated for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS:

Sixty case records were reviewed. There were 24 (40%) patients diagnosed with testicular torsion, 14 (23%) with testicular atrophy, 12 (20%) with testicular tumor, and 3 (5%) with vanishing testis. One (1%) case presented with Müllerian remnants and there were 6 cases of normal testes (5 preoperatively diagnosed with testicular atrophy and one with testicular torsion).

CONCLUSIONS:

The percentage of testicular pathology requiring orchiectomy at our hospital was high (27%) and its main cause was testicular torsion.

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