Question

The best time for surgery of an undescended testis is:

• A. Just after birth
• B. 6 months of age
• C. 12 months of age
• D. 21 months of age

Hint:

Wait for spontaneous descent to finish, but finish surgery by the first birthday.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Recall natural descent. A testis may still descend spontaneously during the first few months of life, so surgery is not done immediately at birth. Spontaneous descent rarely occurs after about 6 months of (corrected) age.

Step 2: Recall the timing rule. Orchidopexy is recommended once spontaneous descent is no longer expected, traditionally completed by about 1 year (12 months) of age, with current guidance favouring between 6 and 12 months. The question's expected answer is 12 months.

Step 3: Justify why early surgery matters. Bringing the testis into the cooler scrotum early helps preserve germ-cell development and fertility and improves later examination for malignancy, since a retained intra-abdominal testis carries a higher cancer risk and impaired spermatogenesis.

Step 4: Reject the distractors. 'Just after birth' is too early because spontaneous descent may still happen. 21 months is too late, since waiting beyond the first year risks irreversible damage to the germinal epithelium.

Answer: 12 months of age (Option C).