Retractile Testicle

A retractile testicle usually occurs at children who are born prematurely.



The condition is not usually considered a disease, but is serious situation when the person becomes uncomfortable. Retractile testicle may not cite immediate concern and attention, but the patient and the people around him must make sure the person’s life and other bodily and usual activities are not affected.

Retractile testicle occurs during pre-natal period. When the child is still in the womb of the mother, sometimes, sexual development is not completed.



It is a common knowledge that during development, the testicle or commonly called scrotum develops first in the abdominal area. As time goes by, or a month before birth, the testicle usually comes down and passes through the groin before finally settling at below the penis.

After birth, when the testicle still has not come down, the person would see that that part of the body would voluntarily and normally go down. It would take months or years before the testicle may finally complete its course.



You should monitor how the scrotum is doing if your child is born with the condition.

In the early childhood, some affected kids may exhibit natural correction. However, in some cases, the testicle would finally reach its natural destination only after puberty. If the child reaches the age of 14 years and the retractile testicle still does not correct itself, then, that is the time appropriate and abrupt medical attention and help must be sought.

Failure to immediately and appropriately seek medical attention would result to some other complications.



The parent must be observant and vigilant about the condition of the retractile testicle. Care must be sufficiently given because the condition may hamper and affect the child’s sexual performance and function in the future.

Surgery is the common and is the effective option if the retractile testicle does not correct on its own over time. Surgeons must make ways to relocate the scrotum to where it should be placed.

There are cases when surgery can be skipped. An effective and viable alternative to surgery for the treatment and correction of retractile testicle is hormone therapy. Studies and experiments during the past years have clearly indicated that injecting or infusing hormone replacement, the testosterone level is boosted and the normal motion of the body to push the testicle to where it should be placed is also bolstered.



Hormone therapy is a bloodless and surgery-less measure in dealing with the problem.

Effective and appropriate counseling must also be provided to the child. That is because the child may be embarrassed and may lose self esteem if he finds out that something is different in him. He may not be too eager to participate in usual social activities like swimming and wearing costumes in public, when he fears that other kids might discover his little awkward secret.

Retractile testicle corrects its own. But care must be given and effective support mechanism must be provided to the patient. Making him understand the situation more could also be helpful.