Biomaterial Database

Association of epididymal anomalies with patent processus vaginalis in hernia, hydrocele and cryptorchidism. 1996

J S Barthold, and J F Redman

Department of Urology, Arkansas Children's Hospital, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, USA.

OBJECTIVE We performed a prospective study to assess the relationship between epididymal anomalies and patency of the processus vaginalis in boys presenting with hernia, hydrocele or cryptorchidism. METHODS The degree of patency of the processus vaginalis (closed, partially closed or open) and morphology of the ipsilateral epididymis were recorded in 159 consecutive inguinal explorations. RESULTS A closed, partially closed and open processus vaginalis was associated with an abnormal epididymis in 14, 36 and 69% of cases, respectively. Epididymal anomalies were more frequent in association with undescended (72%) than descended (34%) testes. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm the observation of a higher incidence of epididymal anomalies associated with patency of the processus vaginalis irrespective of testicular position, and they support the theory that androgenic stimulation may be required for closure of the processus vaginalis as well as epididymal development.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D010537	Peritoneum	A membrane of squamous EPITHELIAL CELLS, the mesothelial cells, covered by apical MICROVILLI that allow rapid absorption of fluid and particles in the PERITONEAL CAVITY. The peritoneum is divided into parietal and visceral components. The parietal peritoneum covers the inside of the ABDOMINAL WALL. The visceral peritoneum covers the intraperitoneal organs. The double-layered peritoneum forms the MESENTERY that suspends these organs from the abdominal wall.	Parietal Peritoneum,Peritoneum, Parietal,Peritoneum, Visceral,Visceral Peritoneum,Parametrium,Parametriums
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003456	Cryptorchidism	A developmental defect in which a TESTIS or both TESTES failed to descend from high in the ABDOMEN to the bottom of the SCROTUM. Testicular descent is essential to normal SPERMATOGENESIS which requires temperature lower than the BODY TEMPERATURE. Cryptorchidism can be subclassified by the location of the maldescended testis.	Testis, Undescended,Abdominal Cryptorchidism,Bilateral Cryptorchidism,Cryptorchidism, Unilateral Or Bilateral,Cryptorchism,Inguinal Cryptorchidism,Testes, Undescended,Undescended Testis,Unilateral Cryptorchidism,Cryptorchidism, Abdominal,Cryptorchidism, Bilateral,Cryptorchidism, Inguinal,Cryptorchidism, Unilateral,Undescended Testes
D004822	Epididymis	The convoluted cordlike structure attached to the posterior of the TESTIS. Epididymis consists of the head (caput), the body (corpus), and the tail (cauda). A network of ducts leaving the testis joins into a common epididymal tubule proper which provides the transport, storage, and maturation of SPERMATOZOA.
D006552	Hernia, Inguinal	An abdominal hernia with an external bulge in the GROIN region. It can be classified by the location of herniation. Indirect inguinal hernias occur through the internal inguinal ring. Direct inguinal hernias occur through defects in the ABDOMINAL WALL (transversalis fascia) in Hesselbach's triangle. The former type is commonly seen in children and young adults; the latter in adults.	Inguinal Hernia,Inguinal Hernia, Direct,Inguinal Hernia, Indirect,Direct Inguinal Hernia,Direct Inguinal Hernias,Hernia, Direct Inguinal,Hernia, Indirect Inguinal,Hernias, Direct Inguinal,Hernias, Indirect Inguinal,Hernias, Inguinal,Indirect Inguinal Hernia,Indirect Inguinal Hernias,Inguinal Hernias,Inguinal Hernias, Direct,Inguinal Hernias, Indirect
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man