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Testicular Torsion: Causes and Risk Factors

Testicular torsion is a medical emergency caused by the twisting of the spermatic cord that connects the testicle to the body. This cuts off blood flow to the testicle. Symptoms include sudden severe pain in the testicle over 1-2 hours. A physical exam may reveal an elevated, swollen testicle with tenderness. Surgery to untwist the spermatic cord, known as orchiopexy, is usually required within 6 hours to save the testicle, as the risk of loss increases after 6 hours without blood flow. The surgery aims to prevent future torsion by anchoring the testicles in place.

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Bharat Singh Banshiwal
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226 views3 pages

Testicular Torsion: Causes and Risk Factors

Testicular torsion is a medical emergency caused by the twisting of the spermatic cord that connects the testicle to the body. This cuts off blood flow to the testicle. Symptoms include sudden severe pain in the testicle over 1-2 hours. A physical exam may reveal an elevated, swollen testicle with tenderness. Surgery to untwist the spermatic cord, known as orchiopexy, is usually required within 6 hours to save the testicle, as the risk of loss increases after 6 hours without blood flow. The surgery aims to prevent future torsion by anchoring the testicles in place.

Uploaded by

Bharat Singh Banshiwal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Testicular torsion

Testicular torsion is a surgical emergency requiring immediate diagnosis to avoid


loss of the testicle.
The word torsion means “to twist” or the rotation of the testis.

Causes and Risk Factors


 The two testes sit in a pouch called ‘scrotum’. The spermatic cord connects the
testicles to the body.
 Normally, the testicles are attached to the inside of the scrotum so they don't
move around.
 Some men are born without the tissue that holds their testicles in place.
 Without this tissue, their testicles are free to move around inside the scrotum.
 This is called a bell clapper deformity.
 Newborns can get testicular torsion because the connecting tissue hasn't yet
formed.

 Age between the ages of 12 and 16 (though it can happen at any age)
 Often do intense exercise
 Injure your testicles
 Are exposed to the cold
 Have a growth spurt of the testicles during puberty
 Had testicular torsion in the past or someone in your family has.
The patient presents with sudden pain in the testicle, developing over 1 to 2 hours,
with or without a predisposing event.

Clinical menifestations-

 Sudden, severe pain on one side of the scrotum


 Redness and swelling of the scrotum
 One testicle that's suddenly sits higher than the other
 Abdominal pains
 Nausea, vomiting
 Fever
 Needing to pee often
 Feeling dizzy
 Lumps in your scrotum
 Blood in your semen
On physical examination, testicular tenderness, an elevated testis, a thickened
spermatic cord, and a swollen, painful scrotum may be present.
If the torsion cannot be reduced manually, surgery to untwist the spermatic cord
and anchor both testes in their correct position to prevent recurrence should occur
within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms in order to save the testis. After 6 hours of
impaired blood supply, the risk for loss of the testicle increases.

Diagnostic evaluation:-

 History & physical examination.


Gently touch the inside of patient’s thigh on the side of the affected testicle.
This will make testicle contract, or rise up. If it doesn't, you could have
testicular torsion.

 Urine test (checks for an infection)


 Ultrasound (uses sound waves to check for reduced blood flow to your testicle)

Treatment
If you have testicular torsion, you’ll see a specialist called a urologist for treatment.
Sometimes doctors can untwist the testicle and spermatic cord by hand, but in most
cases, you'll need surgery, called orchiopexy, to fix testicular torsion.
Patient will be asleep and won’t feel pain during the surgery. The surgeon will
make a small cut in your scrotum and untwist your spermatic cord. This is called
surgical detorsion. Then he will attach your testicles to the inside of your scrotum
to prevent them from twisting again.
If your testicle is too badly damaged, the surgeon will remove it. This surgery is
called orchiectomy.

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