Q: I am a 22 years old boy and I had only one testis in the scrotum and another one was undescended. I underwent orcheopexy surgery 6 months back for the correction of the same. The new testis is smaller in size than the other one. But I feel no problem after surgery.

1. Can I go to gym and ride a bicycle now?
2. I have the habit of masturbation. Will it affect the newly descended testis?
3. I heard that there is a chance of descended testis turning in to a cancer or some tumour later, is it true? If it is true, what are the chances for this to happen in my case?
4. The doctor said that the newly descended testis may not be fully functional as the other one in producing sperm. Having one testis will in anyway affect my fertility?

A:Age at surgery and duration since surgery are important considerations before answering your queries. You are 22 years old male and were operated more than 6 months back.

1. Yes, you may go to gym and ride a bicycle now.
2. Masturbation will not affect the newly descended testis.
3. Your apprehensions regarding the possibility of cancer in undescended testis are right. There is a very low risk of developing cancer in the undescended, or even apparently healthy contra-lateral, testis. The risk cannot be lowered by making the testis descend surgicallyMaking the testis descend surgically cannot lower the risk. The risk is higher in earlier age and become almost nil after the age of 32 years. Surgery makes it possible to palpate the organ and know any tendency of sudden increase in size, as may happen with development of cancer.
4. The doctors were right that the newly descended testis may not be fully functional as only testes descending before age of 2 years may develop fully, and likelihood of recovery disappears almost completely after age of 5 years. You are likely to have normal fertility if your opposite testis is normal.