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Alternative names Return to top
Vanishing testes - anorchia; Empty scrotum - anorchia; Scrotum - empty (anorchia)Definition Return to top
Anorchia is the absence of both testes at birth.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
In the first several weeks after fertilization, the embyro develops rudimentary sex organs, which are crucial to the development of internal and external genitalia. In the male, if these early testes fail to develop before 8 weeks gestation, the baby will have female genitalia.
If the testes are lost betweeen 8 and 10 weeks, ambiguous genitalia will be seen at birth. This means that elements of both male and female internal and external genitalia will be seen.
However, if the testes are lost after the critical phase of male differentiation between 12 and 14 weeks, the baby will have normal male internal and external genitalia (penis and scrotum), but the testes will be absent. This is known as congenital anorchia, or the "vanishing testes syndrome."
The specific cause is unknown, but in some cases genetic factors are apparent.
Symptoms Return to top
Signs and tests Return to top
Signs include:
Tests include:
Treatment Return to top
Treatment includes androgen (male hormone) supplementation, testicular prosthetic implantation, and psychological support.Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Prognosis is good with treatment.Complications Return to top
Complications include infertility, psychological problems related to gender, and occasional face, neck, or back abnormalities.Calling your health care provider Return to top
Call your health care provider if your male child appears to have extremely small or absent testicles or does not appear to be entering puberty during his early teens. Update Date: 8/12/2004 Updated by: Aniket R. Sidhaye, M.D., Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |