Inguinal orchidectomy

An inguinal orchidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a testicle that has cancer. The procedure is performed through a small incision in the groin, and the testicle and its attached blood vessels and the vas are delivered, clamped and removed in a way that prevents any spread or contamination of the cancer in the wound.

The operation is generally safe, but risks include bleeding, infection, pain and sometimes altered sensation in the skin below the incision or on the scrotum due to small nerves, which pass through this area. Recovery from the operation is usually rapid and the patient can be discharged the next day.

Fertility is usually not affected, provided the other testicle is normal.  Men should not have any trouble with fathering children (unless chemotherapy treatment is given later) and testosterone levels usually remain normal with one testicle as well.