An orchiectomy is surgery done to remove one or both of your testicles. It’s commonly performed to treat or prevent prostate cancer from spreading.An orchiectomy can treat or prevent testicular cancer and breast cancer in men, too. It’s also often done before sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) if you’re a transgender woman making the transition from male to female.
Simple orchiectomy
One or both testicles is removed through a small cut in your scrotum. This may be done to treat breast cancer or prostate cancer.
Radical inguinal orchiectomy
One or both testicles is removed through a small cut in the lower part of your abdominal area instead of your scrotum. This may be done if you’ve found a lump in your testicle and doctors may prefer to test for cancer using this surgery because a regular tissue sample, or biopsy, can make cancer cells more likely to spread.
Subcapsular orchiectomy
The tissues around the testicles are removed from the scrotum. This allows you to keep your scrotum intact so that there’s no outward sign that anything has been removed.
Bilateral orchiectomy
Both testicles are removed. This may be done if you have prostate cancer, breast cancer, or are transitioning from male to female.
Preparation :
Before an orchiectomy, doctor advised for blood investigations to make sure you’re healthy enough for surgery and to test for any indicators of cancer.
Procedure:
The procedure may be a first step if you’re heading toward vaginoplasty. In some cases, you may be able to have the orchiectomy at the same time you have a vaginoplasty. You can also schedule them as independent procedures.
Other procedures you may consider, especially if you’re planning a vaginoplasty, include:
Partial penectomy – A penectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a portion of the penis. It’s commonly used as a treatment option for penile cancer.
Labiaplasty – A labiaplasty is a procedure used to construct labia using skin grafts.
Recovery:
Physical recovery from the procedure will last anywhere between a few days to a week. Pain medications to manage pain and antibiotics to prevent infection.Based on your reaction to the orchiectomy, doctor may reduce your estrogen dose and taper off any preoperative androgen blocker medication.
Risks and Complications:
- bleeding or infection
- injury to surrounding organs
- scarring
- dissatisfaction with results
- nerve damage or loss of feeling
- infertility
- decreased libido and energy
- osteoporosis
