Orchiectomy

Causes of orchiectomy

There are a few reasons why someone might need this surgery:

• Testicular cancer
• Injury or trauma to a testicle
• Long-term infection that doesn’t get better with medicine
• As part of treatment for prostate or male breast cancer
• Gender-affirming surgery for transgender women

Risk factors for orchiectomy

Not everyone will need this surgery, but it’s more likely if you have:

• Testicular cancer or signs of cancer
• Testicular torsion (twisted testicle) that doesn’t get treated in time
• A bad injury to the testicle
• A family history of testicular or prostate cancer

Symptoms that may lead to orchiectomy

You might have symptoms that show something is wrong with a testicle, such as:

• A lump or swelling in the testicle
• Pain or heaviness in the scrotum
• Shrinking of one testicle
• Blood in your semen
• Ongoing pain or discomfort

Diagnosing the need for orchiectomy

Doctors may recommend this surgery after doing:

• A physical exam
• An ultrasound to look at the testicle
• Blood tests to check for tumor markers
• A biopsy (removing a small sample for testing, though this is rare with testicles)
• Imaging tests like a CT scan if cancer is suspected

Treatment of orchiectomy

There are two main types of orchiectomy:

• Simple orchiectomy – removes one or both testicles through a small cut in the scrotum
• Radical inguinal orchiectomy – removes the testicle through a cut in the groin (used for cancer)

• Surgery is usually quick, and many people go home the same day
• Recovery takes about 1–2 weeks
• If only one testicle is removed, hormone levels often stay normal
• If both are removed, hormone replacement therapy (like testosterone) may be needed