Background: Lost of a testicle in a male can occur for a variety of reasons. Congenital absence, an undescended testicle, infection, traumatic injury, varicoeles and other pathologies can all cause an absent scrotal sac on one side. While a man can fully function in all capacities with one testicle, there is psychological benefit for some men to feel and be seen as ‘whole’.
The creation of a normal paired scrotal sac can be done with a testicular implant. There are two types of such body implants currently available. An FDA-approved saline filled testicular implant an a solid silicone contoured caving block in the shape of a testicle. A solid silicone testicle implant is preferred in my hands because it is a permanent implant that will not fail or need to be replaced because of device failure. It can also withstand high levels of impact and compression without risk of rupture or implant deformation.
Case Study: This 35 year-old male lost his right testicle due to several years previously due to benign testicular tumor. He had an otherwise normal scrotal sac skin and had never received radiation for his tumor. Having only one testicle made him very self conscious and was a source of psychological concern.
Under general anesthesia, he had a size 4 testicular implant placed through a high scrotal incision of 3 cms. The soft compressible features of the implant made it possible to insert a 4.6 cm side implant through a much smaller incision than its width. The inserted implant had a fairly good size match to the opposite left testicle and a very similar feel as well.
Solid silicone testicular implants come in a variety of sizes with the maximum dimensions of 5 x 4 cms. Such an implant size may seem large but it is surprising how often it is needed when men are intraoperatively sized.
Men who are missing a testicle should find reassurance that it can be replaced with an implant that feels very natural in sizes that can match the opposite testicle. The implant operation is short with a similarly limited recovery time as well.
Highlights:
1) Reconstruction of a lost or congenitally absent testicle can be safely performed by a silicone testicle implant.
2) The best testicular replacement is a soft solid silicone testicle implant which can never fail or need to be replaced.
3) A silicone testicle implant can be placed through a small (3cm) skin incision placed high near the scrotal-groin crease junction.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana