An Orchiectomy, also called orchidectomy, is a surgical procedure where one or both testicles are removed. Removing both testicles is also considered as castration, because undergoing such procedure takes away the male's ability to reproduce. Orchiectomy has three different types: inguinal, subcapsular and simple. Simple and subcapsular orchiectomies require only local anesthesia while inguinal orchiectomies require general anesthesia.
This procedure is recommended for patients with prostate or testicular cancer. It can also decrease the level of testosterone, the main sex hormone in men. An orchiectomy directly stops the progression of cancers where the tumor is located in the testes. Also, orchiectomy is recommended for men with prostate and male-breast cancer, because it lowers testosterone levels in the body and therefore can stop the cancer from metastasizing and growing. Although the procedure is mainly used for treatment, it can also be used to prevent the development of cancer in post-pubescent boys with undescended testicles.
An orchiectomy is typically performed in male-to-female sex change surgeries. This is usually done to prepare a patient and lower his testosterone and other male hormone levels prior to the actual genital reconstruction.
A few European countries, as well as the states of Texas, Montana, California and Florida in the US offer sentenced sex offenders the option of surgical castration because it purportedly lowers their sexual urges. This method is rarely used however, as it is still controversial in many legal circles. Also, although the Roman Catholic Church forbids using artificial means like castration to purify oneself, many men choose to have an orchiectomy for the sake of their religious principles.
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Overview,Orchiectomy
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