Anonymous wrote:I'm about to make my own post regarding my 5YO having 1 testicle. It was just "diagnosed" today at Pediatric Specialists of VA and Dr. Selekman (I see Dr. Phl recommended a lot on DCUM, too) and she was great with my son. Just in case you're looking for recommendations for a second opinion.

Good luck!

PP here and thanks! Dr. Selekman is who we saw for our most recent opinion (technically a 3rd opinion). She was fantastic.

I'm about to make my own post regarding my 5YO having 1 testicle. It was just "diagnosed" today at Pediatric Specialists of VA and Dr. Selekman (I see Dr. Phl recommended a lot on DCUM, too) and she was great with my son. Just in case you're looking for recommendations for a second opinion.

Good luck!

OP here. The first urologist we saw (highly regarded at Johns Hopkins) recommended surgery right away. I was very unhappy with the way he interacted my son (I may have posted about it, yanking down his pants -- my son was in a seated position so the doctor and his colleague just yanked away, one on each side, instead of asking my 5YO or me to assist, or even asking for permission).

Anyway, I decided to discount that doctor because of his behavior, and to start from scratch (so 1st and 2nd opinions).

Saw Dr. Canning who said my son might have mild penile torsion but they didn't recommend that we do anything (my son is not circumcised and the doctor could not retract the foreskin, so acknowledged he could not complete a full exam).

Third urologist who we saw today said his penis is perfect, no penile torsion, and no action required (4 months after the last one, was able to retract the foreskin and do a full exam).

I'm just shocked that the first urologist jumped to surgery without recognizing that my son was at an age where his foreskin could not be easily retracted but would get there within a year when a more complete exam and assessment would be possible.

It seems like a pretty big deal to me, and I'm considering "reporting" it. He was really arrogant during the visit, then immediately jumped to the most invasive and expensive procedure, using all kinds of excuses (for example, he said that if my son wanted to have kids, that might be a problem because he may not be able to ejaculate straight inside of his partner, but it might go off to the side instead).

It sounds to me like he needs to get up to speed on some things. He did get his M.D. almost 50 years ago.

PP. Forgot to add that when he was still a toddler, the doctor who advised us against the full blown surgery did some stuff in his office under local anesthesia - I think he made some cuts to release the tissue a bit and that made things better. It was all in NYC, so the doctor is not local.

My son had this + mild hypospadias + chordee. The first urologist that saw him recommended a surgery while he was still a toddler. The second told us that it doesn’t appear to affect any of the functional stuff, but more would be known when he becomes a teenager. I was frankly afraid to opt for a surgery because I did not want to take any responsibility for complications resulting from what appeared to be an elective procedure. So we waited until the kid turned 14 (never any problem in the locker room, BTW). Again went to see two doctors. The first right away insisted on cutting. The second sent him to a room with some “reading materials” and asked to take a picture of his erection and send it to him. Again, the verdict was that the problem is most likely cosmetic, and we decided to wait. The kid is now in college, I know that he is sexually active... and still hasn’t done anything about “the look”. Bottom line, ask for a second opinion and also ask what exactly they think they are correcting. If there are no functional issues, maybe it makes sense for the boy to grow up and decide whether anything needs fixing.

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you get a 2nd opinion

Always.

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you get a 2nd opinion

This.

It can happen. It’s not unusual. There was a thread in the teen forum recently.

Make sure you get a 2nd opinion

You might see if they have a referral for a pediatric physical therapist that does soft tissue manipulation. They might be able to release the tissue enough to correct.

What exactly is penile torsion? Sorry you are going through this.

PP again, seems like the focus is on infants. Sorry. But something may lead you to something more specific.

pp here. I found this https://community.whattoexpect.com/forums/april-2018-babies/topic/penile-torsion-66088783.html

I dont have any experience with it, but I have heard of it before. I would definitely recommend finding a forum specific to that surgery. Sometimes its hard to get a response here for things that arent common. I didnt want you to feel ignored!! I imagine its NOT fun to contemplate surgery for your child, and having to prepare him for it too, it would be helpful to get some real feedback. I hope you find it. Hugs to you and your little guy!

I'm reposting this in parenting because it is not getting any replies in Health & Medicine.

My 5YO was recently diagnosed with penile torsion, and the urologist (Dr. Gearhart) recommends surgery. The rotation is about 30 degrees, so not extreme.

Curious if anyone else has a son who has been through this surgery? I guess I feel like I don't know much aside from my quick appointment with the doctor and some internet research, and I'm looking to hear from others about their experiences, things I should know, things I should ask about, lessons learned, etc.