- anorchism
- absence of one or both testes
- aspermia
- inability to secrete or ejactulate sperm
- azoospremia
- semen without living spermatozoa; a sign of infertility in a male
- balanitis
- inflammation of the glans penis
- benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), benign prostatic hypertrophy
- enlargement of the prostate gland, common in older men, causing urinary obstruction
- biopsy (Bx)
- tissue sampling used to identify neoplasia
- biopsy of the prostate
- needle biopsy of the prostate; often performed using ultrasound guidance
- brachytherapy
- radiation therapy technique involving internal implantation of radioactive isotopes, such as radioactive seeds to treat prostate cancer
- bulbourethral glands, Cowper glands
- pair of glands below the prostate, with ducts opening into the urethra, that adds a viscid (sticky) fluid to the semen
- chemotherapy
- treatment of malignancies, infections, and other diseases with chemical agents that destroy selected cells or impair their ability to reproduce
- chlamydia
- most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in North America; often occurs with no symptoms and is treated only after it has spread
- circumcision
- removal of the foreskin (prepuce), exposing the glans penis
- condyloma acuminatum
- lesion that appears as a result of human papilloma virus; on the skin, lesions appear as cauliflower-like warts, and on mucous membranes, they have a flat appearance; also known as venereal or genital warts
- cryptorchism, crpytorchidism
- undescended testicle, or failure of a testicle to descend into the scrotal sac during fetal development; the testis most often remains lodged in the abdomen or inguinal canal, requiring surgical repair
- digital rectal exam (DRE)
- insertion of a finger into the male rectum to palpate the rectum and prostate
- ejaculatory duct
- duct formed by the union of the vas deferens with the duct of the seminal vesicle; its fluid is carried into the urethra
- endorectal sonogram of the prostate, transrectal sonogram of the prostate
- scan of the prostate made after introducing an ultrasonic transducer into the rectum; also used to guide needle biopsy
- epididymectomy
- removal of an epididymis
- epididymis
- coiled duct on the top and at the side of the testis that stores sperm before emission
- epididymitis
- inflammation of the epididymis
- erectile dysfunction (ED)
- failure to initiate or maintain an erection until ejaculation because of physical or psychologic dysfunction; formerly termed impotence
- glans penis
- bulging structure at the distal end of the penis
- gonorrhea
- contagious inflammation of the genital mucous membranes caused by invasion of the gonococcus Neisseria gonorrhea; the condition was named for the uretharal discharge characteristic of the infection, which was thought to be a leakage of semen
- hepatitis B virus
- virus that causes inflammation of the liver; transmitted through any body fluid, including vaginal secretions, semen and blood
- herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2)
- virus that causes ulcer-like lesions of the genital and anorectal skin and mucosa; after initial infection the virus lies dormany in the nerve cell root and may recur at times of stress
- hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- use of a hormone to remedy a deficiency or regulate production (eg. testosterone)
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- virus that causes AIDS, which permits various opportunistic infections, malignancies, and neurologic diseases; contracted through exposure to contaminated blood or body fluid (eg. semen, vaginal secretion)
- human papilloma virus (HPV)
- virus transmitted by direct sexual contact that causes an infection that can occur on the skin or mucous membranes of the genitals
- hydrocele
- hernia of fluid in the testis or in the tubes leading from the testis
- hypospadias
- congenital opening of the male urethra on the undersurface of the penis
- mucopurulent discharge
- drainage of mucus and pus
- nonseminoma
- testicular tumor arising from more mature germ cells; these tumors have a tendency to be more aggressive than seminomas and often develop earlier in life; includes choriocarinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors
- oligospermia
- scanty production and expulsion of sperm
- orch/o, orchi/o, orchid/o, test/o
- testis or testicle
- orchiectomy
- removal of a testicle
- orchiopexy
- fixation of an undescended testis in the scrotum
- orchioplasty
- repair of a testicle
- penile prosthesis
- implantation of a device designed to provide an erection of the penis; used to treat physical impotence
- penile self-injection
- intracavernosal injection therapy causing an erection; used in treatment of erectile dysfunction
- penis
- erectile tissue covered with skin that contains the urethra for urination and the ducts for secretion of seminal fluid (semen)
- perineum
- external region between the scrotum and anus in a male and between the vulva and anus in a female
- Peyronic disease
- disorder characterized by a buildup of hardened fibrous tissue in the corpus cavernosum, causing pain and a defective curvature of the penis, especially during erection
- phimosis
- a narrowed condition of the prepuce (foreskin) resulting in its inability to be drawn over the glans penis, often leading to infection; commonly requires circumcision
- prepuce
- foreskin; loose casing that covers the glans penis; removed by circumcision
- prostate cancer
- malignancy of the prostate gland
- prostate gland
- trilobular gland that encircles the urethra just below the bladder and secretes an alkaline fluid into the semen
- prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test
- blood test used to screen for prostate cancer; an elevated level of the antigen indicates the possible presence of tumor
- prostatectomy
- excision of the prostate gland
- prostatitis
- inflammation of the prostate
- radiation therapy
- treatment of neoplastic disease using radiation, usually from a cobalt source, to stop the prolifeation of malignant cells
- scrotum
- skin-covered pouch in the groin divided into two sacs, each containing a testis and an epididymis
- semen
- a mixture of the secretions of the testes, seminal vesicles, prostate, and bulbourethral glands discharged from the male urethra during orgasm
- semen analysis
- study of semen, including a sperm count with observation of morphology (form) and motility; usually performed to rule out male infertility
- seminal vesicle
- one of two sac-like structures behind the bladder and connected to the vas deferens on each side; secretes an alkaline substance into the semen to enable the sperm to live longer
- seminoma
- most common type of testicular tumor, composed of immature germ cells; highly treatable with early detection
- sperm, spermatozoon
- male gamete or sex cell produced in the testes that unites with the ovum in the female to produce offspring
- sperm/o, spermat/o
- sperm (seed)
- spermatocele
- painless, benign cystic mass containing sperm lying above and posterior to, but separate from, the testicle
- syphilis
- sexually transmitted infection caused by a spirochete and which may involve any organ or tissue over time; usually manifests first on the skin, with the appearance of small, painless, red papules that erode and form bloodless ulcers called chancres
- testicular biopsy
- biopsy of a testicle
- testicular cancer
- malignant tumor in one or both testicles commonly developing from the germ cells that produce sperm; classified in two groups according to growth potential
- testis, testicle
- one of the two male reproductive glands, located in the scrotum, that produce sperm and the hormone testosterone
- transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
- removal of prostatic gland tissue through the urethra using a resectoscope, a specialized urologic endoscope; common treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia/hypertrophy
- urethrogram
- x-ray of the urethra and prostate
- varicocele
- enlarged, swollen, herniated veins near the testis
- vas deferens
- duct that carries sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct
- vasectomy
- removal of a segment of the vas deferens to produce sterility in the male
- vasovasotomy
- restoration of the function of the vas deferens to regain fertility after a vasectomy
