Paediatric urology: undescended testis: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Paediatric urology: undescended testis

Sample item

A 14-month-old boy has a left testis that is palpable in the superficial inguinal pouch and cannot be manipulated into the scrotum. The testis has not descended on repeated review. What is the best management?

AOrchidopexyBOrchidectomyCWait until puberty for spontaneous descentDHormonal therapy with hCG alone

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Orchidopexy

A palpable testis that has not descended by 6 months will not do so spontaneously, and surgery is recommended between 6 and 18 months. Orchidopexy preserves fertility potential and makes the testis accessible for examination; it also reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of malignancy such as seminoma. Hormonal therapy has a low success rate.

Option by option

A. Orchidopexy (correct)
Early orchidopexy brings the testis into the scrotum and protects spermatogenesis.
B. Orchidectomy
Removal is not needed for a viable palpable testis in a young child.
C. Wait until puberty for spontaneous descent
Delaying until puberty exposes the testis to heat damage and progressive loss of germ cells.
D. Hormonal therapy with hCG alone
hCG has poor and short-lived efficacy and is not the recommended treatment.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Orchidopexy. A palpable testis that has not descended by 6 months will not do so spontaneously, and surgery is recommended between 6 and 18 months.

Why is "Orchidectomy" not the answer?

Removal is not needed for a viable palpable testis in a young child.

Why is "Wait until puberty for spontaneous descent" not the answer?

Delaying until puberty exposes the testis to heat damage and progressive loss of germ cells.

Why is "Hormonal therapy with hCG alone" not the answer?

hCG has poor and short-lived efficacy and is not the recommended treatment.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Paediatric urology: undescended testis in General Surgery. Orchidopexy preserves fertility potential and makes the testis accessible for examination; it also reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of malignancy such as seminoma. Hormonal therapy has a low success rate.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Paediatric urology: undescended testis?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.