STUDIES ON CRYPTOCHIDISM

DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION OF PELVIC PNEUMOGRAPHY FOR UNILATERAL ABDOMINAL TESTICLE

Abstract

Diagnosis of inguinal testis is easy, but that of abdominal testicle, especially when it is unilateral, is frequently difficult. Bilateral abdominal testes can be diagnosed by endocrinological studies (17), while unilateral abdominal testicle cannot be found any where and often requires exploratory laparotomy.
Pelvic pneumography has been used for gynecological disorders to visualize the intrapelvic strcutures. Pneumography would be a safe, simple and nonsurgical technique not only for adults but also for children (12).
We applied the pelvic Pneumography to 9 unilateral abdominal cryptorchid boys (age 4 to 11 yrs.) and diagnostic value was discussed. The patient was placed in supine position, a Teflon needle is entered to the peritoneal cavity in the midline below the umbilicus. A total of 600 to 1000ml, of carbon dioxide is introduced into the pelvic space. Tympanitic percussion is a most useful sign of adequate filling. Films are taken in prone and head-down position.
No complications have been experienced in our cases.
3 out of 9 patients were found positive for gonadal shadows on pelvic pneumography (Fig. 2, 3 and 4). These gonads were confirmed by surgery successively.
Other 6 cases were negative for gonads on pneumography.
Thus, our pelvic pneumography in unilateral abdominal cryptorchid children showed accurate findings. It seems to us that this method is a most useful and valuable technique for diagnostic studies before surgery.