Monorchism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monorchism Classification and external resources
ICD-10	Q55.0
ICD-9	752.89

Monorchism is the state of having only one testicle within the scrotum.

Contents 1 Causes 2 Notable cases 3 Terminology 4 See also 5 References

[edit] Causes

This can be due to:

• One testicle not descending into the scrotum during normal embryonic or fetal development (3–4% of 'normal' live births), also known as: undescended testis or cryptorchidism. In this case the testis is within the abdominal cavity, somewhere along the normal route of descent — most commonly, within the inguinal canal. Such a testis has an increased risk of malignancy.
• One testicle may disappear during development (the so called vanishing testis) due to some intrauterine insult. This is thought most likely vascular, such as testicular torsion.
• One testicle being surgically removed through Orchidectomy

[edit] Notable cases

Former Australian politician Mark Latham^[1], American bicyclist Lance Armstrong^[2] and Canadian comedian/actor Tom Green^[3] all have monorchism, as one testicle was removed to treat testicular cancer in each case. The late Frank Church, U.S. Senator (D-Idaho) from 1957 to 1981 and a Presidential aspirant in 1976, also had monorchism, having had one testicle removed in the late 1940s while attending Stanford Law School. Although Church had been given only a year to live, the surgery plus X-Ray treatment put the cancer into remission. Church eventually lived until 1984, when he succumbed to pancreatic cancer[1], a quarter-century later. His monorchism was revealed publicly during the 1976 Presidential campaign.

[edit] Terminology

An individual having monorchism can be referred to as monorchid.

[edit] See also

• Anorchia

[edit] References

v • d • e Congenital malformations and deformations of genital organs and urinary system (Q50-Q64, 752-753) Genital organs (overview) female: Uterine malformation - Mullerian agenesis - Uterine didelphys - Clitoromegaly male: Cryptorchidism - Hypospadias - Chordee - Monorchism - Micropenis - Penile agenesis Pseudohermaphroditism Urinary system kidney/ureter: Renal agenesis/Potter syndrome, Papillorenal syndrome - cystic (Polycystic kidney disease, Meckel syndrome, Multicystic dysplastic kidney) - Ectopic ureter - Horseshoe kidney - Renal ectopia bladder/urethra: Epispadias - Bladder exstrophy urachus: Urachal cyst See also non-congenital reproductive and urinary conditions (N, 580-629)