Familial torsion of the testis

We report a family of a man and two of his three male children who all had torsion of the left testis, all at the age of 15 years and all occurring during sleep. Their management and the possible modes of inheritance are discussed.     

Significance of determining the point of reperfusion failure in experimental torsion of testis

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies of the use of free radical scavengers in ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury following detorsion of the torted testis have yielded conflicting results due to differences in the period of ischemia used. The authors studied I/R injury in the rabbit model, to define the point beyond which there is reperfusion failure. METHODS: Ischemia/reperfusion injury of the testis was created in 3-6-month-old male New Zealand white rabbits by cross-clamping the left spermatic cord for periods of ischemia lasting 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min. There were eight animals per experimental group. The right testis served as internal control. Both testes were harvested after 24 h of reperfusion in four animals and after 3 months in the remaining four animals for each group. Testicular malondialdehyde (MDA), a measure of free radical damage, was determined by using the thiobarbituric acid reaction on testicular homogenates. Johnsen score was used to assess morphological damage caused by the ischemia. RESULTS: After 24 h of reperfusion, the mean testicular MDA in the control right testes at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min was 2.1, 2.5, 2.9, 2.4, 2.1 and 1.9 nmol/mg protein, respectively. The mean left testicular MDA at corresponding ischemic periods was 1.6, 2.0, 3.9, 10.0, 4.4, 6.1 and 1.0 nmol/mg protein, respectively. The maximum left testicular MDA was at 60 min (10.0 nmol/mg protein), following which the level dropped significantly to 1.0 nmol/mg protein at 180 min. At 3 months, the mean Johnsen scores for left testes subjected to 0, 60, 120 and 180 min ischemia were 9.4, 8.8, 2.3, 3.5, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that following ischemia of up to 60 min in the rabbit testis, adequate reperfusion is possible, but ischemia lasting beyond 60 min results in inadequate reperfusion leading to irreversible damage. Thus, in experiments for assessing the effect of antioxidants on I/R injury of the testis in rabbits, periods up to 60 min of ischemia should be regarded as optimum to observe an effect.     

大鼠单侧睾丸扭转复位后对对侧睾丸的影响

目的研究大鼠单侧睾丸扭转复位后对对侧睾丸的影响。方法16只成年健康SD雄性大鼠随机分为实验组(n=8)和对照组(n=8)；建立单侧睾丸扭转复位模型。术后30d取扭转对侧睾丸,采用原位缺口末端标记法(TUNEL)检测生殖细胞凋亡,光镜下计数精子数。结果与对照组相比,实验组对侧的睾丸重量和日产精子量都有显著性差异(P＜0.05),实验组生殖细胞凋亡显著增多(P＜0.01)。结论大鼠单侧睾丸扭转后,对侧睾丸生殖细胞凋亡增多可能是导致不育的原因之一。     

Histological Study of the Removed Testes of Patients After Acute Monolateral Spermatic Cord Torsion

Histologische Untersuchung an Hoden von Patienten mit akuter Hodentorsion
Nach einer Hodentorsion ist die Infertilität häufig, falls der torquierte Hoden nicht operativ entfernt wird und atrophisch wird. Der dafür verantwortliche Mechanismus scheint ein Autoimmunphänomen zu sein. Um festzustellen, ob der atrophierte Hoden Ursache der Antigene ist, wurde eine sorgfältige histologische Untersuchung des atrophischen Hodens von sechs Patienten vorgenommen. Zwei Patienten mit einer mehr als drei Jahre zurückliegenden Hodentorsion zeigten keine erkennbare Hodenstruktur, während bei den anderen Männern mit einer etwa 1 Jahr zurückliegenden Torsion noch einige Spermatogonien innerhalb der Tubuli seminiferi und einige Spermatozoen im Nebenhoden aufwiesen.
Die Autoren vertreten die Auffassung, daß die chirurgische Entfernung des torquierten Hodens mehr als ein Jahr nach dem Ereignis zweifelhaft ist für eine Prävention oder eine Blockierung des Autoimmunphänomens, weil die testikulären Antigene fehlen und der Autoimmunmechanismus in der Lage ist, sich selbst zu erhalten.     

The effect of poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors on biochemical changes in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury

PURPOSE: Poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase inhibitors have been used successfully to decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury in several organ systems. We evaluated the efficacy of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors on biochemical changes in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into 9 groups of 6 each. One group served to determine baseline values of biochemical parameters, 1 that underwent sham operation served as a control, 1 underwent 2 hours of testicular torsion and 4 hours of detorsion, 2 received pretreatment with vehicle (saline or dimethyl sulfoxide) before detorsion and 4 received pretreatment with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor nicotinamide, 3-aminobenzamide, 1,5-dihydroxyisoquinoline or 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide before detorsion. Lipid peroxidation products, nitric oxide content and myeloperoxidase activity, an indicator of neutrophil accumulation, were assessed in testicular and renal tissues. RESULTS: Testicular torsion-detorsion caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation products, nitric oxide content and myeloperoxidase activity in ipsilateral testes (p <0.01) but not in the contralateral testes or kidneys. Animals treated with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors had a significant decrease in these biochemical parameters compared with vehicle treated animals (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data emphasize that poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase may have a role in testicular damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion and the inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase may be a novel approach to therapy for ischemia-reperfusion injury of the testis.     

Reperfusion injury after detorsion of unilateral testicular torsion

Summary Reperfusion injury has been well documented in organs other than testis. An experimental study was conducted to investigate reperfusion injury in testes via the biochemical changes after unilateral testicular torsion and detorsion. As unilateral testicular torsion and varicocele have been shown to affect contralateral testicular blood flow, reperfusion injury was studied in both testes. Given that testicular blood flow does not return after 720° testicular torsion lasting more than 3 h, the present study was conducted after 1 and 2 h of 720° torsion. Adult male albino rats were divided into seven groups each containing ten rats. One group served to determine the basal values of biochemical parameters, two groups were subjected to 1 and 2 h of unilateral testicular torsion respectively, two groups were subjected to detorsion following 1 and 2 h of torison respectively, and two groups underwent sham operations as a control. Levels of lactic acid, hypoxanthine and lipid peroxidation products were determined in testicular tissues. Values of these three parameters obtained from the sham operation control groups did not differ significantly from basal values (P>0.05). All three parameters were increased significantly in both ipsilateral and contralateral testes after unilateral testicular torsion when compared with basal values (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). Detorsion caused significant changes in lipid peroxidation products levels in ipsilateral but not in contralateral testes when compared with values obtained after torsion (P<0.01 and P>0.05, respectively). It is concluded that ipsilateral testicular torsion causes a decrease in perfusion not only in the ipsilateral but also in the contralateral testis. Additionally, detorsion following up to 2 h of 720° torsion causes reperfusion injury in ipsilateral but not in contralateral testis.     

Six Cases of Prenatal and Neonatal Torsion of the Spermatic Cord

Torsions of the spermatic cord occurring from the intrauterine period to the end of the first year of life are termed perinatal. These are divided into prenatal and postnatal torsions, depending on their occurrence in the intrauterine or postuterine period. From January 1984 to January 1996, 6 cases were identified at our institution, involving 4 prenatal and 2 postnatal extravaginal torsions of the spermatic cord. These cases are reviewed with regard to optimal therapeutic approaches for the treatment of both the affected gonad as well as the contralateral one, and whether the event occurred prenatally or postnatally. The authors also propose several clinical indications useful for obstetricians, pediatricians, urologists and nurses.     

Protective effects of trapidil in ischemia–reperfusion injury due to testicular torsion and detorsion: An experimental study

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to detect the preventive effects of trapidil in ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury due to testicular torsion and detorsion. METHODS: Forty prepubertal albino rats were used. In the IR group, torsion was created by rotating the left testis over 2 h, and detorsion was done by untwisting the testis. Bilateral orchiectomies were performed after 4 h. In study group, 2-h torsion was performed and trapidil was administered as a single dose 1 h before detorsion. Bilateral orchiectomies were performed after 4 h. In the sham group, a sham operation was done. In the sham plus trapidil group, a sham operation was done and trapidil was administered as a single dose. Testicular tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and total sulfhydryl (T-SH) levels were determined for each group. The grades of interstitial injury were determined in histopathologic examination. RESULTS: The NO and MDA levels in the IR group were significantly higher than the study, sham and sham plus trapidil groups in the left testis (P<0.05, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). A statistical difference was not found among study, sham and sham plus trapidil groups in the left testis in NO and MDA levels (P>0.05). The T-SH level in the study group was significantly higher than in the IR, sham and sham plus trapidil groups in left testis P<0.05). In the IR group (left testis), grade 1 interstitial injury was 30% (3/10), grade 2 injury was 60% (6/10) and grade 3 injury was 10% (1/10). In the study group (left testis), grade 1 interstitial injury was 30% (3/10) and there was no injury in 70% (7/10). CONCLUSION: Trapidil decreased free oxygen radical formation in testicular torsion and detorsion, and attenuated histopathological damage in the ipsilateral twisted testis.     

Avoidance of inguinal incision in laparoscopically confirmed vanishing testis syndrome

PURPOSE: Nonpalpable testicles may be due to the vanishing testis syndrome, intra-abdominal position, examination obscured by obesity or scar tissue and rarely testicular agenesis. Laparoscopy is an excellent means of distinguishing these entities without the need for open abdominal exploration. We investigated whether laparoscopy affects the need for an inguinal incision and exploration when no testicle is palpable and the vas and vas deferens are visualized exiting the internal inguinal ring on laparoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 34 boys 6 to 18 months old (mean age 41) physical examination demonstrated a nonpalpable testicle, including on the right side in 12, on the left side in 17 and bilaterally in 5. The vanishing testis syndrome was diagnosed after laparoscopy when no testicle was palpable despite physical examination done with the patient under anesthesia, spermatic vessels were visualized exiting the internal inguinal ring or spermatic vessels were visualized in the abdomen with or without an identifiable intra-abdominal testicular nubbin. RESULTS: Laparoscopy confirmed the vanishing testis syndrome in 16 patients, intra-abdominal testicles in 13 and peeping testes in 1. Adequate examination using anesthesia was not possible in 4 patients with obesity, or previous inguinal or lower abdominal surgery. These boys underwent inguinal exploration after laparoscopy showed the vas and vessels exiting a closed internal inguinal ring. Of the 16 cases of the vanishing testis syndrome orchiectomy with contralateral scrotal orchiopexy was performed in 14 through a median raphe scrotal incision and in 1 through an inguinal incision for an associated inguinal hernia. In the remaining patient who underwent laparoscopy only a blind ending vas and vessels were visualized in the abdomen without an identifiable nubbin. The infraumbilical and median raphe incisions healed without obvious scars. Followup was at least 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: When spermatic vessels are visualized exiting the internal inguinal ring on laparoscopy in the setting of a nonpalpable testicle, a median raphe scrotal incision can be made to remove the testicular nubbin associated with the vanishing testicle syndrome. Orchiectomy is possible through this median raphe incision even when the testicle is in the inguinal canal because this distance in young children is small. Cosmesis is excellent since 1 incision is within the umbilicus and the other is on the median scrotal raphe.     

小儿睾丸及睾丸附件扭转的诊治（附65例报告）

目的提高小儿睾丸及睾丸附件扭转的临床诊治水平。方法回顾分析我院近10年间65例小儿睾丸及睾丸附件扭转患者的临床表现、辅助检查以及诊断治疗方法。结果65例患儿中,睾丸扭转33例,睾丸附件扭转32例,58例（89％）患儿存在阴囊肿胀或疼痛表现,7例伴有恶心、发热等症状。63例进行手术治疗,行睾丸或睾丸附件切除54例（86％）。结论小儿睾丸及睾丸附件扭转是儿外科急症,早期正确的诊断和及时的手术治疗是保存睾丸的关键。     

精索形态观察在睾丸扭转早期诊治中的意义

目的:提高睾丸扭转早期的诊断和治疗水平。方法:回顾性分析49例睾丸扭转的临床资料及睾丸内血流声像图和精索超声特征。结果:49例睾丸扭转患者,彩色多普勒血流显像出现睾丸血流改变42例,其中血流增加3例,睾丸血流无明显改变7例;二维超声检查发现精索形态异常47例。手术复位固定21例,睾丸存活12例。结论:彩色多普勒超声扫描精索形态与睾丸血流变化对睾丸扭转的早期诊断有重要价值,尽早手术探查有助于挽救存活睾丸。     

Immunohistopathology of the contralateral testis of rats undergoing experimental torsion of the spermatic cord

Aim:To evaluate the immunohistopathological changes in the contralateral testis of rats after an experimental sper-matic cord torsion.Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats of 45-50 days old were subjected to a 720° unilateralspermatic cord torsion for 10,30 and 80 days(experimental group,E),respectively or sham operation(controlgroup,C).Histopathology of the contralateral testis as well as germ cell apoptosis were studied using the TerminalDeoxynucleotidyl Transferase Biotin-dUTP Nick End Labeling(TUNEL)technique.The number of testicularlymphocytes,mast cells and macrophages,and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and its receptor(TNFR1)in testicular cells of the contralateral testis were quantified by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry.TNF-α concentration in testicular fluid was determined by ELISA.Results:In the contralateral testis of rats fromthe E group,the maximal degree of damage of the germinal epithelium was seen 30 days after torsion.At this time weobserved in the E group vs.the C group increases:(i)the number of testicular T-lymphocytes;(ii)the number oftesticular mast cells and macrophages;(iii)the percentage of macrophages expressing TNF-α:(iv)TNF-α concen-tration in testicular fluid;(v)the number of apoptotic germ cells;and(vi)the number of TNFR1~ germ cells.Conclusion:Experimental spermatic cord torsion induces,in the contralateral testis,a focal damage of seminiferous tubulescharacterized by apoptosis and sloughing of germ cells.Results suggest humoral and cellular immune mediatedtesticular cell damage in which macrophages and mast cells seem to be involved in the induction of germ cell apoptosisthrough the TNF-α/TNFR1 system and in the modulation of the inflammatory process.(Asian J Andro12006 Sep;8:576-583)     

Mean platelet volume is the most valuable hematologic parameter in differentiating testicular torsion from epididymitis within the golden time

BackgroundWe aimed to assess the diagnostic value of hematologic parameters in the differential diagnosis of testicular torsion and epididymitis within and after the golden time.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the records of 250 patients aged <25 years who were diagnosed with epididymitis (n=119) or testicular torsion (n=131). The characteristics and hematologic parameters of patients in the two groups were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the validity of hematologic parameters as differential diagnostic tools with respect to the golden time (defined as 6 h of symptom duration). Further, we evaluated the predictive factors associated with orchiectomy in patients with testicular torsion.ResultsThe mean patient age was 14.4 years. Among patients with testicular torsion, 91.40% (53 of 58) underwent detorsion and orchiopexy within the golden time, whereas only 27.40% (20 of 73) of the affected testes were preserved after the golden time. Within the golden time, mean platelet volume (MPV) seemed to be the most valuable hematologic parameter [area under the curve (AUC) 0.855, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.778–0.932]. In a multivariate analysis, symptom duration (symptoms beyond the golden time) was associated with orchiectomy in patients with testicular torsion.ConclusionsMPV showed the greatest hematologic value in the early stage of testicular torsion and epididymitis, suggesting its potential use for the differential diagnosis of these two conditions within the golden time.     

Experimental ischaemia-reperfusion injury induces vascular endothelial growth factor expression in the rat testis

Testicular torsion causes ischaemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury of testis and might lead to male infertility. Its injury initiates a pathophysiological cascade, including an activation of inflammatory cytokines and generation of nitric oxide and other reactive oxygen species. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mediates angiogenesis and promotes endothelial cell survival. The aim of our study was to investigate the time course expression of VEGF, VEGF-receptor (R)1, VEGF-R2, nitric oxide synthases (NOS) in experimental I-R injury of rat testis. In torsion side testis, the expression of VEGF protein and mRNA significantly increased in a time-dependent manner ( P  < 0.001 and P  < 0.001, respectively). Although the expression of VEGF-R1 mRNA was increased in a similar way ( P  < 0.001), VEGF-R2 mRNA expression was not detected. In immunohistochemistry, the increase in VEGF protein staining was observed in testicular vascular endothelial cells and germ cells at 24 h after reperfusion. Significant activation of inducible NOS and endothelial NOS was investigated at 12 and 24 h after reperfusion ( P  < 0.01 and P  < 0.001, respectively). This is the first report to show the time course expression of VEGF in experimental I-R rat testis.