Long-Term Effect of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Analogue (Buserelin) on Cryptorchid Testes

Hormonal Treatment

“…Many authors have suggested, therefore, that hormonal therapy could be used to distinguish ascending or retractile testes from congenital UDT [ 33 ]. Hadziselimovic et al [ 34 ] have suggested that hormonal therapy may have a further role in stimulating testicular physiology to restore the normal function of the testes after surgery. They biopsied 15 of 31 testes which failed to descend in response to hormone treatment and required orchidopexy [ 34 ].…”

“…Hadziselimovic et al [ 34 ] have suggested that hormonal therapy may have a further role in stimulating testicular physiology to restore the normal function of the testes after surgery. They biopsied 15 of 31 testes which failed to descend in response to hormone treatment and required orchidopexy [ 34 ]. LHRH therapy caused a marked increase in the size of the Leydig cells and in their content of endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting a recruitment of precursor Leydig cells from fi broblasts.…”

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Deteriorates the Histology of Rat Testes

“…It was revealed that 50% of unilateral cases and two thirds of bilateral cases are associated with eventual fertility problems [2] . Thus, studies to improve fertility have focused on earlier surgical intervention [3,4] and, more recently, hormonal therapy [5] . Hormonal treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) may be given initially for cryptorchidism because of reported testicular descent in about 20% of cases [6] .…”

Long-Term Effect of a Luteinizing-Hormone-Releasing Hormone Analogue (Buserelin) on Cryptorchid Testes (Extended Summary)

“…In older boys low doses of buserelin given on alternate days induced a low but significant increase in testoster one, indicating a stimulatory effect of gonadotropins on the Leydig cells [3]. This effect was not observed in the urine of young boys with cryptorchidism despite the fact that Leydig cell number increased indicating an augmen tation of intratesticular testosterone.…”

“…Standard treatment with luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) and human chorionic gonadotropin has proven successful in 74% of all boys treated [1]. An LHRH agonist analogue (Buserelin, Hoechst) is about 10 times more active than native LHRH and it has been shown to stimulate germ cell division if given after successful surgery for cryptor chidism [2].The results of our study show for the first time that it is possible to increase the number of germ cells with hor monal therapy even when the testis is undescended [3], This also provides additional support for the hypothesis that lack of germ cells in boys with cryptorchidism is due to impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis [4,5] and not to high temperature or elevated pressure as generally believed. Furthermore, our previous studies have shown that buserelin treatment should be started early in life if an optimal response is to be achieved [2], The lack of a good response in boys older than 7 years could be explained by the secondary changes that are already significant by the age of 2 years [6,7], Therefore, hormonal and surgical treatment should be initiated before the age of 12 months.…”