Bashful Baby Testicles

Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a testicle is fully descended. I find it helpful to coat my hands with soapy water before I attempt to coax the testicles down into their rightful place using a gentle sweeping motion along the inguinal canal. This helps me to effectively discriminate between fixed undescended testicles, ectopic testicles that “bounce” right back up the canal after release, and benign retractile testicles that are temporarily riding high because of a cremasteric reflex.

- Nathan Hitzeman, MD
    Sacramento, Calif

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