What does orchiectomy mean?
An orchiectomy is a surgical operation in which one or both testicles are removed. It may be used to treat testicular cancer, certain other diseases or injuries of the testicle, and, in selected cases of prostate cancer, to reduce the body’s production of testosterone. When both testicles are removed in an adult, the procedure results in loss of sperm production and a permanent reduction in testosterone, with important consequences for fertility, sexual function, bone health, and the body’s hormonal balance. The term is also encountered in connection with sex reassignment surgery, where it can describe removal of the testes. In medical writing, the more precise forms “unilateral orchiectomy,” “bilateral orchiectomy,” “partial orchiectomy,” and “radical orchiectomy” identify how much tissue is removed and whether one or both testicles are involved. Because it denotes an irreversible operation, the word carries a distinctly clinical and technical tone rather than the broader everyday meaning of castration.
nounA surgical operation involving the removal of one or both testicles. It may be performed to treat certain conditions, including testicular cancer, or as part of treatment for prostate cancer.
- The surgical removal of one or both testicles.
"The patient underwent a radical orchiectomy to remove the cancerous testicle."
"A bilateral orchiectomy reduces testosterone production in certain cases of metastatic prostate cancer."
"The surgeon explained that a partial orchiectomy would remove the affected tissue while preserving the remainder of the testicle."
The plural is used when referring to multiple operations, procedures, or cases involving the removal of one or both testicles.
"The two orchiectomies were performed during separate operations."
Orchiectomy pairs the Greek word for testicle with the same root found in the word surgery: a literal “excision of the testicle.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does orchiectomy come from?
Orchiectomy was formed in medical Latin from Greek ὄρχις (orchis), meaning “testicle,” and the surgical suffix -ectomy, from Greek ἐκτομή (ektomē), meaning “a cutting out” or “excision.” The combination literally describes the excision of a testicle. The same Greek root also underlies orchid, orchitis, and orchidectomy, all members of the medical family concerning the testicle.
Related word forms
How orchiectomy is actually used
This is a specialist medical term. In cancer treatment, “radical orchiectomy” traditionally denotes removal of the entire testicle together with the spermatic cord and surrounding tissue, although contemporary surgical practice may sometimes preserve part of the testicle.
Easily confused with orchiectomy
Orchidectomy is an alternative spelling of orchiectomy and refers to the same surgical removal of one or both testicles.