Surgery for no palpable testis before the age of one year: a risk for the testis?

INTRODUCTION: Surgery for undescended testis is now commonly recommended before the age of one year. However, the risk of testicular atrophy or miss location after surgery at a young age has not been clearly evaluated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the rate of testicular atrophy after surgery for non-palpable testis before the age of one year. MATERIALS: Fifty-five patients operated between 2005 and 2014 for non-palpable testes were reviewed for clinical and ultrasound (US) evaluation. Median follow-up after surgery was of 68.5 months (range 26-130 months). The median age at surgery was of months (5-12 months). Eight patients (14.5%) had bilateral non-palpable testis; thus, 63 testes were evaluated. At surgery, 38 (60%) testes were located in the high inguinal canal; 25 (40%), in the abdominal cavity. Orchiopexy was performed with preservation of the testicular vessels for 58 testes. Fowler-Stephens (FS) procedure was performed for 5 testes. Testicular location was clinically evaluated, and testicular volume was measured using a standard sonogram technique in our pediatric radiology department. Ratio comparing the volume of the descended testis to the spontaneously scrotal located testis was calculated in unilateral forms. RESULTS: After surgery, testes had scrotal location in 62 cases and inguinal location in one case. Seven cases of atrophy were confirmed after US control (11%), more frequently (odds ratio, OR 11.68 [1.9-72.5]) in abdominal testis (24%) than in inguinal testis (2.6%). Atrophy testicular was more frequent with FS technique (OR 7.1 [1.3-40.1]), but the population was weak (N = 5). Median volume ratio for unilateral form was 0.88 [0-1.8]; 14 patients presented a ratio greater than 1. DISCUSSION: The influence of the young age at surgery and the risk of post operative testicular atrophy had not been clearly evaluated. The term of 'no palpable testis' supports an heterogeneous group mixing abdominal and extra-abdominal testis sharing a uniform clinical presentation. Our rate of atrophy in the group of abdominal testes (24%) and inguinal testes (2.6%) is similar to the literature, which concerns older patients. The long-term sonogram assessment demonstrated a good development of the testis after surgery, especially in inguinal cases. CONCLUSION: Surgery for no palpable testis before the age of one year does not lead to a superior risk of testicular atrophy compared with surgery at an older age and allows a good development of the testis.

Influence of social deprivation and remoteness on the likelihood of sphincter amputation for rectal cancer: a high-resolution population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Medical care in rectal cancer is subject to social inequality. According to the last French guidelines, a 1-cm distal margin below the lower pole of the rectal tumor is now considered sufficient. This extends the limits of the current sphincter preservation gold standard. Like for other innovative technics, the dissemination of such technics is often subject to social and geographical inequalities. The objective was to analyze whether sphincter preservation in rectal cancer is subject to social or geographical inequality. METHODS: The odds of sphincter preservation was modeled by logistic regression among the 1453 patients in the Calvados digestive cancer registry between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2015 by examining some of the variables that could influence it: social inequalities and geographical remoteness, sex, age, and stage. RESULTS: A total of 69.4% of the population received sphincter preservation. Patients in the more deprived quintiles had a significantly higher probability of having sphincter amputation (odds ratio (OR) = 1.469 (1.046-2.064)). This result was no longer significant after adjustment on stage and travel time. There was a dose-effect pattern of geographical remoteness on likelihood of sphincter preservation with a progressive increase in OR between patients living the nearest and the furthest from the reference center (p-trend = 0.0178). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the probability of receiving sphincter preservation is influenced by the social environment and strongly influenced by remoteness. Although management guidelines have had a huge impact on the rates of sphincter preservation, they have not reduced the influence of the social and geographical environment on sphincter preservation.

[Sleeve fracture of the patella: A diagnosis not to be underestimated]. / Un diagnostic à ne pas méconnaître : la fracture avulsion de la patella.

Fracture of the patella is quite rare in children. However, sleeve fractures of the patella are specific to the child. We report on the case of a 12-year-old boy who suffered complete functional incapacity with hemarthrosis and symptoms that suggested rupture of the extensor apparatus. It occurred after abrupt extension of the knee during a high jump. The x-ray showed an ascended patella. The diagnosis was made and emergency surgical exploration showed a sleeve fracture. Surgical repair provided a good result, with a 2-year follow-up. A literature review found 59 cases in 20 studies with a majority of case reports with only two series over ten cases. The ages and mechanisms are identical to those observed in our study. Diagnosis is difficult and must be clearly determined. The two important signs are the ascension of the patella and the depression to its lower extremity. The prognosis is most often conditioned by rapid surgical repair.