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Health Information Center

Orchiectomy

Authors:
  • Deanna M. Neff, MPH
Publication Type:

Procedure

Orchiectomy

Definition

Orchiectomy is a surgery to remove one or both testicles.

Testicle.

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Reasons for Procedure

An orchiectomy may be done to treat:

It can also be a diagnostic procedure to determine if cancer is present when a mass is found during ultrasound .

Possible Complications

Problems from the procedure are rare, but all procedures have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems, like:

  • Nerve injury or damage to surrounding tissue or structures
  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Reaction to anesthesia

Before your procedure, talk to your doctor about ways to manage factors that may increase your risk of complications such as:

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

Contact your doctor if your recovery is not progressing as expected or you develop complications such as:

  • Increasing pain, discharge, redness, or swelling at the incision site
  • Pus or odor from the incision site
  • A lot of bleeding
  • Stitches loosen or fall out
  • Signs of infection, including fever and chills

If you think you have an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.

Prior to Procedure

Your doctor may do the following:

  • A physical exam
  • Imaging, blood, and urine tests
  • Talk about anesthesia and the potential risks

Talk to the doctor about your medications. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to one week before the procedure.

Other things to keep in mind before the procedure:

  • Arrange for a ride home from the hospital.
  • In most cases, you will need to avoid eating and drinking for 6-8 hours before the procedure. Ask your doctor when you should stop eating and drinking.
RESOURCES:

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

References

  • Orchiectomy surgery. St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton website. Available at: http://www.stjoes.ca/patients-visitors/patient-education/patient-education-k-o/pd-6660-orchiectomy-surgery.pdf.
  • Testicular cancer. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T907377/Testicular-cancer.
  • Testicular cancer treatments: the inguinal orchiectomy. Testicular Cancer Resource Center website. Available at: http://tcrc.acor.org/orch.html.
  • Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.

Contributors

  • EBSCO Medical Review Board
Last Updated:
2023-06-01

(C) Copyright 2023 EBSCO Information Services

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.