Quality of Life of Adolescents and Young Adults After Testicular Prosthesis Surgery During Childhood: A Qualitative Study and Literature Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Population
2.2. The Operation and the Prosthesis Material
2.3. The Interview
2.4. Data Analysis
2.5. Outcomes of the Study
3. Results
3.1. Study Population Characteristics
3.2. Quality of Life Domain Outcomes
3.2.1. Physical Health
- Feeling of the testicular prosthesis
- Restriction of activities
- Perceptions on fertility
3.2.2. Mental Health
- Self-image
- Self-respect
- Feelings
3.2.3. Interpersonal Relationships
- Same-age peers
- Intimate partner
3.2.4. Family Communication
- Communicating with family members
- Communicating consent for surgery with the family
3.2.5. Access to Information
3.2.6. Sexual Life
- Perception on the effect of the testicular prosthesis on sexual life
- Quality of sexual activity
3.3. What About Those Who Denied Participation in the Study?
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Questions Addressed to the Recipient |
---|
Are there any types of pain or discomfort impeding you from certain activities after the testicular prosthesis implantation? |
Is there anything you believe that you are not able to do because of the testicular prosthesis? |
Do you feel that you are affected by the comments of others, i.e., friends, classmates, in regard to your body image? |
Did the testicular prosthesis modify your feelings and thoughts about yourself and your abilities? |
How satisfied are you by yourself after the implantation of the testicular prosthesis? |
Did you wish to discuss and share with your family, companion, friends, your feelings and thoughts, or certain practical issues on the testicular prosthesis implantation? |
Could you describe the thoughts you had on your future sexual life before surgery? |
Do you feel that the testicular prosthesis has affected your sexual life? |
Do you consider that you have obtained from your doctor all the information you needed on the testicular prosthesis implantation? |
Was the information you needed regarding the testicular prosthesis made available to you fully? |
How does it feel to have the testicular prosthesis? |
Did your doctor or your parents explain to you the reason for the testicular prosthesis? |
What would you advise a young person to do, if he was in the same condition with you? |
If you lost your testicular prosthesis, would you decide to have it implanted again? |
Questions addressed to the recipient’s parents |
Does he report any body complains or discomfort after the implantation of the testicular prosthesis? |
Did he express before or after surgery any thoughts that his health might be compromised by the prosthesis? |
Did he express his feelings, either positive or negative, regarding the testicular prosthesis? |
Do you remember if he is affected by the comments of friends, classmates, or others in regard to his body image? |
Is he able to communicate and share information, feelings and thoughts about himself after the testicular prosthesis implantation? |
Has he expressed thoughts or concerns on his sexual life or intimate relationships? |
Does he feel any restrictions in his life? |
Did you discuss his problem with him, and did you ask him about the operation? |
Do you believe that the doctor informed you in detail and answered all you questions on his health problem and the implantation of the testicular prosthesis? |
Did you ever doubt his fertility and sexual life? |
Are you afraid of something about his future? |
Would you communicate and share with the family or others your own feelings and thoughts regarding his testicular prosthesis? |
What would you advise a family in your own position today? |
Recipient Code | Age at Surgery (Years) | Age at Interview (Years) | Time from Surgery (Years) | Primary Testicular Disease | Occupation | Personal Life |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R01 | 16 | 17 | 1 | Testicular atrophy | Student | In relationship |
R02 | 13 | 15 | 2 | Testicular torsion | Student | Single |
R03 | 13 | 17 | 4 | Undescended testis | Student | Occasional relationships |
R04 | 9 | 11 | 2 | Undescended testis | Student | Single |
R05 | 14 | 16 | 2 | Testicular torsion | Student | Single |
R06 | 14 | 23 | 9 | Antenatal testicular torsion | University student | In relationship |
R07 | 13 | 23 | 10 | Testicular atrophy | University student | In relationship |
R08 | 9 | 22 | 13 | Testicular atrophy | Self-employed | Occasional relationships |
R09 | 14 | 27 | 13 | Undescended testis | University student | Occasional relationships |
R10 | 14 | 22 | 8 | Undescended testis | University student | Occasional relationships |
R11 | 12 | 25 | 13 | Undescended testis | University student | Occasional relationships |
R12 | 8 | 14 | 6 | Undescended testis | Student | Single |
R13 | 14 | 21 | 7 | Neonatal testicular torsion | University student | In relationship |
R14 | 15 | 22 | 7 | Anorchidism | University student | Single |
R15 | 12 | 13 | 1 | Testicular torsion | Student | Single |
R16 | 14 | 18 | 4 | Bilateral atrophic hypogonadism | University student | Single |
Parental Code | Age in Years | Family Status | Education Level | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|
MR01 | 47 | Single | High school | Private employee |
FR01 | 46 | Divorced | High school | Private employee |
MR02 | 44 | Married | University | Self-employed |
FR02 | 49 | Married | University | Self-employed |
FR03 | 51 | Married | High school | Public employee |
MR04 | 50 | Married | High school | Private employee |
FR04 | 49 | Married | High school | Private employee |
MR05 | 44 | Married | High school | Housekeeper |
FR05 | 54 | Married | High school | Self employed |
MR12 | 46 | Widow | High school | Unemployed |
MR15 | 48 | Married | University | Public employee |
FR15 | 50 | Married | University | Self-employed |
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Chantzi, Z.; Fouzas, S.; Drivalos, A.; Stamati, A.; Gkentzis, A.; Athanasopoulou, M.; Kambouri, K.; Gkentzi, D.; Kostopoulou, E.; Vareli, A.; et al. Quality of Life of Adolescents and Young Adults After Testicular Prosthesis Surgery During Childhood: A Qualitative Study and Literature Review. Children 2025, 12, 720. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060720
Chantzi Z, Fouzas S, Drivalos A, Stamati A, Gkentzis A, Athanasopoulou M, Kambouri K, Gkentzi D, Kostopoulou E, Vareli A, et al. Quality of Life of Adolescents and Young Adults After Testicular Prosthesis Surgery During Childhood: A Qualitative Study and Literature Review. Children. 2025; 12(6):720. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060720
Chicago/Turabian StyleChantzi, Zoi, Sotirios Fouzas, Alexandros Drivalos, Athanasia Stamati, Agapios Gkentzis, Maria Athanasopoulou, Katerina Kambouri, Despoina Gkentzi, Eirini Kostopoulou, Anastasia Vareli, and et al. 2025. "Quality of Life of Adolescents and Young Adults After Testicular Prosthesis Surgery During Childhood: A Qualitative Study and Literature Review" Children 12, no. 6: 720. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060720
APA StyleChantzi, Z., Fouzas, S., Drivalos, A., Stamati, A., Gkentzis, A., Athanasopoulou, M., Kambouri, K., Gkentzi, D., Kostopoulou, E., Vareli, A., Blevrakis, E., Zachos, K., Alexopoulos, V., Panagidis, A., Plotas, P., Louta, A., Karatza, A. A., Dassios, T., Dimitriou, G., ... Sinopidis, X. (2025). Quality of Life of Adolescents and Young Adults After Testicular Prosthesis Surgery During Childhood: A Qualitative Study and Literature Review. Children, 12(6), 720. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060720