Is mobile testis a true pathological condition due to a gubernaculum abnormality?

The present study was conducted to clarify whether a gubernaculum abnormality exists in mobile testis or not. Testicular fixation was performed in 57 patients with mobile testis with a mean age of 3.6 years (range; 7 months-12 years). Twenty-six patients were bilateral and 31 patients were unilateral cases. Control gubernaculum findings were obtained from 12 patients with hydrocele testis with a mean age of 3.3 years (1.6-5 years). In 12 patients with hydrocele testis, the gubernaculum was found from the lower third of the testis to the scrotal base inside the tunica vaginalis (plica gubernaculi), while outside the tunica vaginalis pars infravaginalis gubernaculi further extended into the scrotal base. On the other hand, in 57 patients with mobile testis, the gubernaculum was easily identified only inside the tunica vaginalis without any recognizable gubernaculum outside the tunica vaginalis. In 31 unilateral patients, associated anomalies of the contralateral testis were found in 13 patients (42%); 11 cases with undescended testis and two cases with ectopic testis. These results suggest that mobile testis might therefore be a true pathological condition, which were highly associated with contralateral testicular morbidities.