ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Prevalence of acquired undescended testis in 6-year, 9-year and 13-year-old Dutch schoolboys

W W M Hack¹, K Sijstermans¹, J van Dijk², L M van der Voort-Doedens¹, M E de Kok², M J Hobbelt-Stoker²

¹ Department of Paediatrics, Medical Centre Alkmaar, Alkmaar, The Netherlands
² Institution for Youth Health Care, Gemeenschappelijke Gezondheidsdienst Noordkennemerland, Alkmaar, The Netherlands

Correspondence to:
Dr W W M Hack
Medical Centre Alkmaar, Department of Paediatrics, Wilhelminalaan 12, Alkmaar 1815 JD, The Netherlands;w.hack{at}mca.nl

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of acquired undescended testis (UDT) in Dutch schoolboys.

Design and participants: As a part of routine school medical examinations, during a 2-year period (2001–3), testis position was determined in 6-year, 9-year and 13-year-old schoolboys. Before the examination, a parent questionnaire was sent inquiring both about the position of the testes and whether the child had been admitted earlier to hospital for orchidopexy. In 6-year and 13-year olds, a physical examination was performed by the school medical officer; in 9-year olds, a school nurse interview was held. Each boy for whom there was any doubt of the scrotal position was referred to the hospital for examination of both testes.

Setting: Institution for Youth Health Care "Noordkennemerland" and Medical Centre Alkmaar, Alkmaar, the Netherlands.

Results: Testis position was determined in 2042 boys aged 6, 1038 aged 9 and 353 aged 13. Of these, 47, 53 and 8 boys, respectively, were referred to the hospital and seen for further evaluation. The diagnosis of acquired UDT was made in 25 boys aged 6, 23 aged 9 and four aged 13. In 33 boys, a congenital UDT was diagnosed; 32 (97%) had already been diagnosed and treated at an early age.

Conclusions: The prevalence of acquired UDT for 6-year, 9-year and 13-year olds was, respectively, 1.2% (25/2042), 2.2% (23/1038) and 1.1% (4/353). In addition, congenital UDT is treated during the early years of life and, in contrast with popular belief, screening programmes for detecting UDT in the early years are successful.

Abbreviations: ORP, orchidopexy; UDT, undescended testis

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