The role of parents in delayed surgery of undescended testis

Abstract

Aim: Undescended testis (UDT) is the most common congenital urinary system disease. Delayed treatment increases the risk of infertility or malignancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of educational status and geographical location of the parents (rural vs. urban) on the timing of surgery in patients with UDT.Material and Methods: The retrospective study included 248 patients that underwent surgery due to UDT between 2014 and 2018. The patients were divided into two groups based on age at surgery: (I) >1 year and (II) ≤1 year. Data regarding the educational status and geographical location of the parents were obtained via telephone interviews. Results: Of the 248 patients, 67% (n=166) of them were aged over 1 year (Group I) and 33% (n=82) of them were aged below 1 year (Group II). Mean age at surgery was 48.98±29.25 months in Group I and 9.68±1.98 months in Group II. The educational status of the parents was higher in the patients aged below 1 year than in patients aged over 1 year. In addition, the patients living in urban areas admitted to the hospital earlier than those living in rural areas. Conclusion: Both the parental educational status and the geographical location of the parents had a significant effect on the timing of surgery in UDT patients. Keywords: Undescended testis; education status; geographical location