An orchiectomy is an operation to take away one of the testicles.

The testicles actually first develop inside the abdomen. In early life they travel from there, through a passage in the groin on either side, into the scrotum.

As they migrate along this route each testicle carries with it its blood vessels (the arteries and veins), lymph vessels and nerves. These form a band of tissue running through the groin into the scrotum which is called the spermatic cord.

An orchiectomy for suspected testicular cancer always begins with a cut, about 6 to 10cm (2 to 4 inches) long, in the skin of the groin on the affected side. This lets the surgeon find the spermatic cord as it runs through the groin on that side. Once the cord has been found, a clamp is put on it to close off the blood and lymph vessels. This is done to make sure that no cancer cells that might be in the testicle can escape into the bloodstream or the lymph vessels during the rest of the operation.

The affected testicle is then gently manipulated and pulled from the scrotum up into the groin, where it can be seen by the surgeon. The spermatic cord is then cut on the scrotal side of the clamp and the testicle and attached piece of spermatic cord are removed intact.

The cut end of the spermatic cord is then stitched up, the clamp removed and the skin wound closed.

Because the medical name for the passage that carries the spermatic cord through the groin is the 'inguinal canal' this operation is called an inguinal orchiectomy. For non-cancerous conditions where it is necessary to remove one of the testicles the surgeon will often make a cut in the scrotum, rather than the groin, to get at the testicle – (this is called a scrotal orchiectomy.)

The operation of an inguinal orchiectomy is quite a simple one, taking less than an hour, and complications are very uncommon, so it is a very safe operation.