Microscopical and Macroscopical Features of Surgical Explored Cryptorchid Testes

Background: Cryptorchidism defined as failure of one or both testes to descend into the scrotum, it is one of the most frequent congenital disorders affecting male genital system. Objectives: To evaluate the anatomical, morphological anomalies and histopathological changes of undescended testes in patients at various ages presenting to our center. Methods: The study includes 40 male patients with ages (range 2-37 years) who presented with a diagnosis of unilateral or bilateral undescended testes and admitted for exploration of the inguinal region in the urology department of AL-Salam Teaching Hospital in Mosul from December 2022 to December 2024. Results: The study included 40 male patients with ages ranging from 2 and 37 years (range 2-37 years). The location of the testes was variable with the most common being the intracanalicular position in 20 (54%) cases. Twenty-two (58%) of the explored testes had normal size, the others being smaller or atrophic. Germ cell count was markedly diminished in 26 cases (58%) with the risk being higher for older age groups. One patient (3%) in our study was discovered to have intratubular germ cell neoplasia. Conclusion: The study revealed that surgically explored cryptorchid testes show gradual macroscopical and microscopical degradation with age, marked by testicular atrophy, ductal abnormalities, germ cell depletion, and, in rare cases, malignant transformation. These findings strongly support early orchiopexy and highlight the need of histological assessment in guiding treatment and prognosis.