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What is Orchiectomy?
Orchiectomy is the surgical procedure to remove one or both testes, by making an incision in the low groin (i.e., at the base of the penis).
When is Orchiectomy performed?
Orchiectomy is necessarily indicated in the case of testicular malignant tumor. In some cases, orchiectomy may be performed when there is testicular necrosis resulting from neglected testicular torsion.
What sort of preparation is required?
Standardized preoperative preparation includes blood tests and chest X-ray. The patient has to follow basic preoperative instructions, i.e. not eat anything/ not drink anything/ not smoke for 8 hours before surgery. In case of patients with chronic diseases -such as diabetes mellitus, blood hypertension, thyroid disease and others- the therapist physician has to make sure that the patient is well controlled with regard to the specific disease in every case.
How is Orchiectomy performed?
Orchiectomy is performed under general anaesthesia and, more rarely , under spinal anaesthesia, while some surgeons prefer local anaesthesia. A small incision is made in the groin at the base of the penis and the testicle is obtained from the scrotum through the opening. In the same surgery or in a following operation, a testicular prosthesis may be placed to replace the testis that has been removed. This is usually done in young men for psychological and aesthetic reasons.
The average hospital stay is usually one day.
What about after the procedure?
Upon discharge from hospital, you will be given specific instructions about:
- when it is safe to restart your anticoagulant therapy
- when you can resume to intense physical activity and work
- what sort of antibiotic regimen you have to take postoperatively
- how to take care of the surgical wound
When stitches are non-absorbable, these are usually removed on postoperative days 7-10.
What is the effect on patient’s quality of life?
Rare surgical complications may include bleeding and inflammation of the surgical wound that can be immediately treated by the therapist physician. Also, in very rare cases, the ilioinguinal nerve, which runs anterior to the spermatic cord and through the incised region, may be injured and cause numbness of the inner thigh or chronic scrotal pain.