Cryptorchidism Cryptorchidism Cryptorchidism is the absence of one or both testes from the scrotum. The word is from the Greek κρυπτός, "kryptos", meaning hidden, and ὄρχις, "orchis", meaning testicle. It is the most common birth defect of the male genital tract. About 3% of full-term and 30% of premature infant boys are born with at least one undescended testis. However, about 80% of cryptorchid testes descend by the first year of life (the majority within three months), making the true incidence of cryptorchidism around 1% overall. Cryptorchidism may develop after infancy, sometimes as late as young adulthood, but that is exceptional.
Gubernaculum Gubernaculum The paired gubernacula (from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω = pilot, steer, also called the caudal genital ligament) are embryonic structures which begin as undifferentiated mesenchyme attaching to the caudal end of the gonads (testes in males and ovaries in females). As the scrotum and labia majora form in males and females respectively, the gubernaculum aids in the descent of the gonads (both testes and ovaries). The testes descend to a greater degree than the ovaries and ultimately pass through the inguinal canal. The gubernaculum is present only during the development of the urinary and reproductive organs, being replaced by distinct