Obesity Does Not Decrease The Accuracy Of Testicular Examination In Anesthetized Boys With Cryptorchidism

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 31 Mar 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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UroToday.com - A study by Dr. Benjamin Breyer et al. evaluated the confounding factor of obesity and whether it impedes the ability to palpate a testis, both in the office and under anesthesia. Not surprisingly there was difficulty in palpating a testis in obese children. Obesity was defined as a BMI for age or height for weight percentile greater than 85% or BMI for age or height for weight percentile greater than 95%. This was determined using a CDC based definition for obesity.

Interestingly, the group found that when the child was already asleep, the chance of finding the testis was higher. They also found that the predictive value of not palpating a cryptorchid testis in the awake child was higher in a non-obese boy.

This reinforces the premise that if an impalpable testis is suspected, reexamination after the child is asleep is prudent and may save a laparoscopic approach or a larger inguinal incision that would be made preemptively for what would be an impalpable testis in an obese child.

Breyer BN, DiSandro M, Baskin LS, Hsieh MH
J Urol. 2009 Feb;181(2):830-4. Epub 2008 Dec 17.
doi:10.1016/j.juro.2008.10.046

Written by UroToday.com Medical Editor Pasquale Casale, MD

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