Long-Term Outcomes of Retractile Testis

PURPOSE: Retractile testis is considered to be a variant of normal testis in prepubertal boys. There is no agreed-upon management of retractile testis. The aim of this study was to provide data on the long-term outcomes of patients with retractile testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical record of 43 boys who were referred for suspected undescended or retractile testis and were finally diagnosed with retractile testis between January 2001 and December 2008. All boys were biannually examined by a pediatric urologist to evaluate the presence of retractile, descended, or undescended testis and testicular volume. RESULTS: Of 43 boys, there were 22 boys with unilateral retractile testis (51.1%) and 21 boys with bilateral retractile testis (48.9%). Their mean age was 3.0±2.7 years and the follow-up duration was 4.4±1.7 years. Of 64 retractile testes, 29 (45.3%) succeeded in descending, 26 (40.6%) remained retractile, and 9 (14.1%) became undescended testis or of a decreased size requiring orchiopexy. The mean initial diagnostic age of the patients who underwent orchiopexy was 1.3±0.9 years; meanwhile, the mean initial diagnostic age of those who went on to have normal testis was 4.3±3.3 years (p=0.009). The mean follow-up duration was 3.6±1.5 years in the orchiopexy group, 4.0±1.4 years in the descended testis group, and 5.1±1.8 years in group with remaining retractile testis. CONCLUSIONS: Retractile testis has a risk of requiring orchiopexy. The risk is higher in the population diagnosed at a younger age. Boys with retractile testis should be observed periodically until the testis is descended in the normal position.