ABSTRACT
Treatment of a testicular tumour, whether seminoma or teratoma, is its urgent surgical removal by the operation of radical orchidectomy. The operation is performed under general anaesthesia using a groin incision. The inguinal canal is opened so that the spermatic cord is displayed before manipulating the testicular tumour. The spermatic chord is then clamped by a soft or vascular clamp. This closes down the arterial, venous and lymphatic drainage of the testis and its contained tumour. The now anatomically isolated testis and its contained tumour can then be mobilised. This involves its ‘delivery’ from the scrotum into the groin and, hence, up through the groin incision. There, it can be inspected at close quarters so as to confirm the pre-operative diagnosis of tumour. If any doubt exists, a biopsy can be taken and by way of urgent analysis, so-called frozen section, the presence or otherwise of a tumour can be determined.
