Hormonal treatment of undescended testes

Undescended testes are a very common congenital problem of the urogenital tract. Altered spermatogenesis and fertility as well as an elevated risk for oncologic degeneration are known facts associated with testicular malposition. There is broad international consensus among the various disciplines that the treatment of undescended testes should be completed by the age of 12 months. Following the guideline of the German Working Group of Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF), hormonal treatment should be offered to patients with bilateral undescended testicles. This article reviews the literature and disputes the reasoning of the recommendation to treat undescended testes hormonally.