Abstract
Background and Purpose:
The Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy is performed laparoscopically both as a single-stage as well as a two-stage procedure. We hypothesize that with the right technique, the single-stage procedure is just as successful as the two-stage procedure.
Methods:
The records of all boys who underwent a laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy (LFSO) for a nonpalpable testis at our institution from August 1995 to February 2007 were reviewed. Office charts and operative reports were reviewed for all patients.
Results:
There were 48 testes that were brought down by a LFSO. Of these, 38 were performed in one stage and 10 were performed in two stages. The overall success rate was 91.1%.
Conclusions:
We conclude that both single-stage and two-stage laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexies are effective treatment options for children with intra-abdominal testes. In this series, the overall success rate for one stage LFSO was 94.3%. Avoiding manipulation of the vas deferens and epididymis appears to be the key to a high success rate.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.