Monorchism Explained

Monorchism should not be confused with Monarchism.

Monorchism (also monorchidism) is the state of having only one testicle within the scrotum.

Terminology

An individual having monorchism can be referred to as monorchid.

Causes

This can be due to:

• One testicle not descending into the scrotum during normal embryonic or fetal development (3–4% of 'normal' live births), also known as undescended testis or cryptorchidism. In this case the testis is within the abdominal cavity, somewhere along the normal route of descent – most commonly, within the inguinal canal. Such a testis has an increased risk of malignancy.
• One testicle may disappear during development (the so-called vanishing testis) due to some intrauterine insult. This is thought to be most likely vascular, such as testicular torsion.
• One testicle may have been surgically removed through orchiectomy.
• One testicle may be injured.

Notable cases

Due to testicular cancer

• Lance Armstrong, American bicyclist.^[1]
• Frank Church, former U.S. Senator and Presidential candidate.^[2]
• Tom Green, Canadian comedian-actor.^[3]
• Richard Herring, English comedian and writer
• John Kruk, former baseball player
• Mark Latham, former Australian politician.^[4]
• Geoff Horsfield, English footballer.^[5]
• Nenê, Brazilian basketball player.^[6]
• Kevin Curtis, American football player.^[7]
• Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party.^[8]
• Bobby Moore, English footballer and World Cup winner.^[9]
• Jimmy White, English snooker player.^[10]

Due to injury

• Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, magnate of the Kingdom of Scotland, and Peer of France. Lost in 1403, while fighting at the Battle of Shrewsbury (The previous year he had lost an eye at the Battle of Homildon Hill).^[11]
• Troy Bayliss, world superbike champion in 2001, 2006 and 2008. In 2007 he lost a testicle during a race at Donington Park.^[12]
• Brian Foster, American mixed martial artist.^[13]
• John Starks, American basketball player.^[14]
• Paul Wood, English rugby league player who sustained a ruptured testicle during a match and subsequently had it removed.^[15]
• Thurgood Marshall, United States Supreme Court Justice who injured a testicle during a fraternity event in university.^[16]
• Dave England, who lost one of his testicles after suffering a double hernia during a snowboard accident in New Zealand in 1997.^[17]

Due to cryptorchidism

• Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic of China.^[18]
• Dara Ó Briain, Irish comedian related that he has a single testicle in a standup routine.

Unknown

• Possible monorchism of Adolf Hitler
• Francisco Franco, Dictator of Spain.^[19]

Monorchism in nonhuman animals

Although extremely rare, monorchism has been observed to be characteristic of some animal species, notably in beetles.^[20]

See also

• Anorchia
• Cryptorchidism
• Polyorchidism
• Unilateral ovarian agenesis

Notes and References

1. News: Allen . Arthur . Triumph of the cure . Salon . 29 July 1999 .
2. Milestones: Jan. 23, 1984 . Time . 23 January 1984 .
3. http://www.usrf.org/tomgreen.shtml Urological Sciences Research Foundation page on Tom Green
4. Web site: Testicular Cancer And Mark Latham . https://web.archive.org/web/20040730041203/http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/health/Transcripts/s951129.htm . 30 July 2004 . .
5. Web site: Port Vale: Horsfield hoping his luck can rub off on Valiants. Baggaley. Michael. July 22, 2009. The Sentinel. 2009-07-22.
6. News: Nuggets: Nene's testicular tumor malignant, but cancer isolated . The Denver Post . The Associated Press . 22 January 2008 .
7. News: Volin . Ben . After surgery for cancer, wide receiver Kevin Curtis gets a chance with Miami Dolphins . The Palm Beach Post . 17 December 2010 .
8. News: Farage . Nigel . Nigel Farage: Cancer, a lemon-sized testicle and how the NHS failed me . The Telegraph . 13 March 2015 .
9. News: Parsons . Tony . David Beckham is great, but Bobby Moore was one of a kind . Mirror . 14 February 2009 .
10. Book: White . Jimmy . Kingsland . Rosemary . 1998 . Behind the White Ball: My Autobiography . Hutchinson . London . 978-0-09-180126-7.
11. Chronicle of John Hardyng, ed. Ellis, H., p.381. London, 1812. https://archive.org/stream/chronicleiohnha00grafgoog#page/n4/mode/2up
12. Web site: Hard Man Bayliss. Visordown. 7 December 2015.
13. Web site: MMA cost Brian Foster a nut. April 13, 2011. Rebellion Media. 2012-02-19.
14. News: Starks has twisted testicle removed . ESPN . Associated Press . 30 May 2001 .
15. News: Wire's Wood has testicle removed . BBC Sport . 7 October 2012 .
16. News: Merry . Stephanie . The new Thurgood Marshall biopic is trying not to be a 'good for you' movie . Washington Post . 5 October 2017 .
17. Web site: Raab . Chris . Bathroom Break Podcast #27 - Dave England: Entertainer . . April 14, 2022 . February 18, 2019.
18. Book: Li Zhisui . Li Zhisui . Private Life Of Chairman Mao: The Memoirs of Mao's Personal Physician . Random House . 2010 . 978-1-4070-5922-8 . 100 .
19. News: BBC News - Spain's Franco 'had one testicle'. 18 May 2009. 7 December 2015.
20. Will . Kipling W. . Liebherr . James K. . Maddison . David R. . Galián . José . Absence asymmetry: The evolution of monorchid beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae): Carabid Beetle Testes . Journal of Morphology . April 2005 . 264 . 1 . 75–93 . 10.1002/jmor.10319 . 15732050 . 38195864 .