Outcomes of two-stage laparoscopic fowler-stephens orchiopexy for the treatment of intra-abdominal undescended testes

Tóm tắt

Two-stage laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy is the standard treatment for intra-abdominal undescended testes with short spermatic vessels. This technique has been routinely performed at many major pediatric surgical centers, including the Viet Nam National Children’s Hospital. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of two-stage laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy for intra-abdominal undescended testes at the Viet Nam National Children’s Hospital from January 2021 to June 2024. A total of 39 patients with 45 testes underwent surgery; the median age was 34 months old (11 - 190). The median interval between the two stages was 6 months (3 - 14). No intraoperative or early postoperative complication was recorded. Twenty-seven patients (31 testes) were followed up, with a mean follow-up duration of 16.7 ± 8.4 months; among them, 27 testes (87.1%) were located in the scrotum, 2 testes (6.45%) remained high, and 2 testes (6.45%) were atrophic. Comparison of testicular volume between the two stages, as well as before and after surgery, showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). No late complication was observed during follow-up. The two-stage Fowler-Stephens laparoscopic orchiopexy is a safe and effective procedure for managing intra-abdominal undescended testes. Further studies with larger sample sizes and appropriate control groups are warranted to comprehensively evaluate the overall efficacy of this technique.