Orchectomy, or testicle removal, may be unilateral (hemicastration) or bilateral (castration). The latter operation also involves the removal of epididymis. Key indications to the operation:

• infectious processes in the scrotum that involve gross lesion of testicular and epididymic tissue (severe acute orchitis, testicular abscess, testicular tuberculosis);
• severe injury of the testicle (rupture, crush, separation of the testicle from the testicular cord);
• testicle tumor;
• removal of both testicles with the aim of preventing testosterone production in cases of prostate gland cancer (the so-called maximum androgen blockade).