Disorders of the testicles and epididymis

The testicles are located outside the body in the scrotum. They have two roles – to produce sperm and to produce the male sex hormone testosterone. Sperm reach the vas deferens via the epididymis, which lies along the back of the testicle. The two vasa deferentia connect to the urethra near the prostate at a site known as the seminal colliculus. This allows sperm to exit the body during ejaculation.

There are a number of disorders which can affect the testicles, epididymis and vas deferens. In this section we aim to provide an overview of the most common.