[Congenital undescended testis: Should open processus vaginalis have any impact on the elected surgical approach?]

PURPOSE: Compare the position of the undescended testis at clinical examination and under general anesthesia with the patency of an open processus vaginalis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included children from 2 to 18 years of age operated for a unilateral or bilateral undescended testis between January 2006 and April 2014 at the Annecy Genevois hospital, France. The analysis was conducted considering that the individual was the testis. Testicular position before surgery, under general anesthesia and patency of open processus vaginalis as a surgical finding were prospectively recorded.

RESULTS: Three hundred and six children were included. The analysis was conducted over 401 testes. The position at clinical examination was significantly linked to a persistent open processus vaginalis (P=0.0045). Over the 282 testes considered as candidate for Bianchi's procedure, as to say intra- or supra-scrotal under general anesthesia, 154 had a persistent processus vaginalis (55%).

CONCLUSION: There is a link between a persistent processus vaginalis and the location of the undescended testis which should encourage us not to neglect the inguinal approach, and eventually to question the relevance of Bianchi's procedure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.