Undescended testes are usually diagnosed either soon after the baby is born or during a routine check-up when they are six-to-eight weeks old.
Physical examination
The first stage in diagnosing undescended testicles is to carry out a physical examination to see whether the testicles can be felt near the scrotum (whether they are palpable).
The physical examination can sometimes be difficult, and your doctor may refer your child to a paediatric urologist to help with getting the right diagnosis.
If the examination reveals that both testicles are undescended and unpalpable (cannot be felt), then blood tests can be used to check whether hormonal problems may have disrupted the testicles' normal development.
Diagnostic laparoscopy
A procedure called a diagnostic laparoscopy is usually needed to find an unpalpable testicle. Diagnostic laparoscopy is a type of "keyhole surgery" that uses an instrument called a laparoscope.
A laparoscope is a small, flexible tube that contains a light source and a camera. The camera relays images of the inside the abdomen, or pelvis, to a television monitor.
Depending on where the testicle is located, it may be possible to perform surgery immediately in order to reposition the testicle into the scrotum.
Read more about how undescended testicles are treated.
