Undescended Testicle
photo by Janelle Aby, MD
At times, a testicle is not palpable at all in the scrotum. In the photo above, the scrotum appears asymmetric with the right side flatter than the left. Palpation confirmed that a testicle was present on the left, but not on the right. Unilateral undescended testicle is fairly frequent finding in term newborns and does not require further evaluation at birth or preclude circumcision. With time (weeks to several months) the testicle is expected to descend spontaneously. Bilateral undescended testicles, on the other hand, are quite unusual at term and should be considered as ambiguous genitalia (with circumcision contraindicated) until proven otherwise.
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