• Osama A Bawazir, Abdulrahman Maghrabi, Omemh Abdullah Bawazeer, Soliman Binyahib, Razan Bawazir, Nawaf Halabi, and Abdullah Bawazir.
• From the Department of Surgery (Bawazir O), Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University; from the Pediatric Surgery Department (Maghrabi), Maternity and Children Hospital, Makkah; and from the College of Medicine (Binyahib, Bawazir R, Halabi, Bawazir A), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Med J. 2021 May 1; 42 (5): 555561555-561.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the variability in perspectives between pediatric surgeons and pediatric urologists in managing cryptorchidism.MethodsWe conducted this survey among pediatric surgeons and pediatric urologists managing cryptorchidism in Saudi Arabia in October 2020. We distributed a questionnaire to 187 consultants using the Google forms platform. We collected data related to the consultant's experience, preoperative management, management of nonpalpable testes, management of palpable undescended testes, management of the cryptorchidism in special situations.ResultsThe response rate was 77% for pediatric surgeons (n=77) and 46% for pediatric urologists (n=40). The number of cases managed by each specialty per year differed significantly (p=0.02); however, there was no significant difference in their experience (p=0.37). The preferred age for orchidopexy was 6-12 months for both specialties. Pediatric surgeons tend to prescribe preoperative ultrasound more frequently for nonpalpable testes (p=0.05). Laparoscopy was the preferred surgical approach by both specialties. Management of intra-abdominal testes not reaching the contralateral internal ring differed between groups (p<0.001), and it was related to the number of procedures performed annually (p=0.03). Both groups responded differently to the management of unsatisfactory testicular position after orchidopexy (p<0.001). Pediatric surgeons managed it with either observation or re-operative inguinal orchidopexy; however, most pediatric urologists preferred re-operative inguinal orchidopexy. This response was affected by the number of procedures performed annually (p=0.04).ConclusionIn Saudi Arabia, practicing pediatric surgeons and pediatric urologists have different perspectives in the management of cryptorchidism. The results of this survey demonstrated the need to establish national guidelines to manage patients with cryptorchidism.Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.

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