Although this is considered an uncomplicated procedure every anaesthetic carries a risk of complications, but this is very small. Your child’s anaesthetist is an experienced doctor who is trained to deal with any complications. All surgery carries a small risk of infection or bleeding. After the operation there will be some tenderness in the groin area.

Occasionally there may also be some bruising. There is a small risk that the testicle may be damaged during the operation. This is more likely to occur if the testicle could not be felt while in the abdomen and is more deep seated. Generally though all should be well.

After the operation, your child will come back to the ward to recover, and will be able to go home once he has had something to eat and drink and is comfortable. We will telephone you the following day to check your child is making a good recovery. Please tell the nurse the best time to contact you before you leave the ward.

Your child may feel sick for the first 24 hours. You should encourage, but not force, him to drink plenty of fluids. It does not matter if he does not feel like eating for the first couple of days, as long as he is drinking plenty of fluids.

Your child will have been given pain-relieving medications during the operation, but these will begin to wear off. Your child will need to have regular pain relief for at least three days, and we will give you the medications to take home with you. As well as the medications, distracting your child by playing games, watching TV or reading together can also help to keep your child’s mind off the pain.

Your child’s groin will probably feel sore for a while after the operation, but wearing loose clothes can help. The stitches used during the operation will dissolve on their own so there is no need to have them removed. If possible, keep the operation site clean and dry for two to three days to allow the operation site heal properly. If your child needs to have a bath or shower, do not soak the area until the operation site has settled down. Your child should not ride a bicycle or other sit-on toy for one month after the operation, to prevent the testicles from travelling back up into the abdomen.

Your child should be able to go back to school within a couple of days, when he is more comfortable and you and your child will need to go back to hospital for an outpatient appointment about three months after the operation.

Although all this might look pretty frightening and obviously no parent wants their child to have to go through any surgery or treatment, it is important to remember that when the undescended testicles are treated in early childhood, the outlook is good.

After surgery to correct the testicles position the child will have normal fertility levels unless there were problems with the testicles themselves. If a damaged testicle was removed, leaving one healthy testicle, this should not affect a child’s fertility levels in later life to any great degree.