Functional and cytologic features of the contralateral testis in cryptorchidism

Objective: To characterize the testicular cytologic pictures in cryptorchid and contralateral testis related to seminal pattern. Design: Controlled clinical study. Setting: Andrological and urologic academic setting. Patients: One hundred nine patients orchidopexied because of unilateral cryptorchidism compared with 35 normospermic subjects. Interventions: Bilateral testicular fine-needle aspiration cytology. Main Outcome Measures: Seminal parameters; testicular cytologic features; plasma levels of FSH, LH, and T; and ultrasound testicular examination. Results: The cytologic analysis revealed an important quantitative and qualitative impairment of spermatogenic Line in all the excryptorchid testes. These alterations are present in the contralateral testes only when azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia were observed, whereas in moderate oligozoospermic subjects a normal tubular status was evident. A compensatory activity in normally descended testis of normozoospermic patients was present. Conclusions: In unilateral cryptorchidism, a frequent testicular damage in the orchidopexied and in the contralateral descended testis suggests that this condition is the end point of different pathological conditions, including testicular intrinsic (congenital) and extrinsic (anatomical) causes. Fine-needle aspiration cytology of both testes represents a tool in the assessment of the tubular status in excryptorchid subjects.