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Cryptorchidism, also known as undescended testis, is the failure of one or both testes to descend into the scrotum. The word is from Ancient Greek κρυπτός (kryptos) 'hidden' and ὄρχις (orchis) 'testicle'. It is the most common birth defect of the male genital tract. About 3% of full-term and 30% of premature infant boys are born with at least one undescended testis. However, about 80% of cryptorchid testes descend by the first year of life, making the true incidence of cryptorchidism around 1% overall. Cryptorchidism may develop after infancy, sometimes as late as young adulthood, but that is exceptional.
A hydrocele testis is an accumulation of clear fluid within the cavum vaginale, the potential space between the layers of the tunica vaginalis of the testicle. It is the most common form of hydrocele and is often referred to simply as a "hydrocele". A primary hydrocele testis causes a painless enlargement in the scrotum on the affected side and is thought to be due to the defective absorption of fluid secreted between the two layers of the tunica vaginalis. A secondary hydrocele is secondary to either inflammation or a neoplasm in the testis.
Orchiopexy is a surgery to move and/or permanently fix a testicle into the scrotum. While orchiopexy typically describes the operation to surgically correct an undescended testicle, it is also used to resolve testicular torsion.
A hydrocele is an accumulation of serous fluid in a body cavity. A hydrocele testis, the most common form of hydrocele, is the accumulation of fluids around a testicle. It is often caused by fluid collecting within a layer wrapped around the testicle, called the tunica vaginalis, which is derived from peritoneum. Provided there is no hernia present, it goes away without treatment in the first year. Although hydroceles usually develop in males, rare instances have been described in females in the canal of Nuck.
The paired gubernacula, also called the caudal genital ligament, are embryonic structures which begin as undifferentiated mesenchyme attaching to the caudal end of the gonads.
The male reproductive system consists of a number of sex organs that play a role in the process of human reproduction. These organs are located on the outside of the body, and within the pelvis.
The round ligament of the uterus is a ligament that connects the uterus to the labia majora. It originates at the junction of the uterus and uterine tube. It passes through the inguinal canal to insert at the labium majus.
The canal of Nuck, first described by Anton Nuck in 1691, is an abnormal patent (open) pouch of peritoneum extending into the labia majora of women. It is analogous to a patent processus vaginalis in males. In rare cases, it may give rise to a cyst or a hydrocele in women and has potential to develop into an indirect inguinal hernia. The pouch accompanies the gubernaculum during development of the urinary and reproductive organs, more specifically during the descent of the ovaries, and normally obliterates.
The tunica vaginalis is a pouch of serous membrane within the scrotum that lines the testis and epididymis, and the inner surface of the scrotum. It is the outermost of the three layers that constitute the capsule of the testis, with the tunica albuginea of testis situated beneath it.
The testicular artery is a branch of the abdominal aorta that supplies blood to the testicle. It is a paired artery, with one for each of the testicles.
The testicular vein, the male gonadal vein, carries deoxygenated blood from its corresponding testis to the inferior vena cava or one of its tributaries. It is the male equivalent of the ovarian vein, and is the venous counterpart of the testicular artery.
The intercrural fibers are a series of curved tendinous fibers, which arch across the lower part of the aponeurosis of the Obliquus externus, describing curves with the convexities downward.
The mediastinum testis is a thick yet incomplete septum at the posterior part of the testis formed by the tunica albuginea of testis projecting into the testis at its posterior aspect where the testis is not lined by the serous membrane to allow for the attachment of the epididymis. It extends posteriorly between the testis' superior pole and inferior pole. It is wider superiorly than inferiorly. It supports the rete testis and blood and lymphatic vessels of the testis in their passage into and out of the substance of the gland.
The lobules of testis are of partitions of the testis formed by septa of testis. The lobules of testis contain the tightly coiled seminiferous tubule. There are some hundreds of lobules in a testicle.
The septa testis are fibrous partitions of the testis dividing the testis into compartments - the lobules of the testis. The septa are formed by extensions of the tunica albuginea - the dense fibrous connective tissue surface covering of the testis - into the substance of the testis. The septa converge towards the mediastinum testis.
The development of the reproductive system is the part of embryonic growth that results in the sex organs and contributes to sexual differentiation. Due to its large overlap with development of the urinary system, the two systems are typically described together as the genitourinary system.
The development of the gonads is part of the prenatal development of the reproductive system and ultimately forms the testicles in males and the ovaries in females. The immature ova originate from cells from the dorsal endoderm of the yolk sac. Once they have reached the gonadal ridge they are called oogonia. Development proceeds and the oogonia become fully surrounded by a layer of connective tissue cells. In this way, the rudiments of the ovarian follicles are formed.
In most terrestrial mammals, the scrotum or scrotal sac is a part of the external male genitalia located at the base of the penis. It consists of a sac of skin containing the external spermatic fascia, testicles, epididymides, and vasa deferentia. The scrotum will usually tighten when exposed to cold temperatures.
Orchiectomy is a surgical procedure in which one or both testicles are removed. The surgery can be performed for various reasons:
Scrotalultrasound is a medical ultrasound examination of the scrotum. It is used in the evaluation of testicular pain, and can help identify solid masses.
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1211 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
