Ultrasonography is unnecessary and misleading in evaluating boys with a nonpalpable testis and can be a cause of a legal process

• Published in: Medicine, science, and the law science, and the law, 2013-10, Vol.53 (4), p.247-248
• Main Authors: Esposito, Ciro, Escolino, Maria, Savanelli, Antonio, Alicchio, Francesca, Roberti, Agnese, Settimi, Alessandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child, Preschool; Cryptorchidism - diagnostic imaging; Diagnostic Errors - legislation & jurisprudence; Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY - diagnosis; Humans; Laparoscopy; Male; Preoperative Care; Testis - abnormalities; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0025-8024; 2042-1818
• DOI: 10.1177/0025802413481013

A 2-year-old boy came to our attention for a left non-palpable testis (NPT). The parents asked us to perform a laparoscopy to pull down a left intrabdominal testis (IAT), identified ultrasonographically before surgery. The ultrasonography (US) performed in another institution showed a right intrascrotal testis of normal size and a left IAT of 0.85 × 0.78 mm2 located near the internal inguinal ring. We performed a laparoscopy that showed a blind-ending vas deferens and blind-ending inner spermatic vessels as in case of vanishing testis and a large lymphnode located near the internal inguinal ring that was closed. Parents were disappointed after laparoscopic diagnosis because the US performed before surgery showed them an IAT; for this reason they undertook a legal challenge against the pediatrician and the radiologist who had given them false information. In conclusion, we believe that in cases of NPT, laparoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis and US is unnecessary and misleading.