Korean J Urol.  2008 Oct;49(10):945-952. 10.4111/kju.2008.49.10.945.

Histologic Alterations in the Ipsilateral and Contralateral Testes and Epididymides of Rats following Unilateral Torsion and Detorsion of the Testes

• Baek M
• Paick SH
• Oh SJ
• Jeong SJ
• Hong SK
• Park IA
• Jeon YK
• Choi H

• KMID: 1204326
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/kju.2008.49.10.945

Abstract

PURPOSE: This investigation was undertaken to determine the damage to the testes and epididymides following torsion and detorsion of the testes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The right testes of 8-week-old male rats(n=30) were subjected to torsion for 10 min. At 0, 1, 4, 8, and 24 hours, and 1 week after the repair of a torsion, the ipsilateral and contralateral testes and epididymides were harvested. The mean number of spermatids per tubule, the mean seminiferous tubular diameter(MSTD), and the germinal epithelial cell thickness(GECT) were used to evaluate changes to the testes. The histologic changes to the epididymal ductal epithelium were also evaluated.
RESULTS
The mean number of spermatids per tubule, GECT, and MSTD were significantly decreased in the 24-hour ipsilateral detorsion group, but minimal changes to ipsilateral testes were observed in the 1-week detorsion group. There was no evidence of histologic changes to the testes in any of the contralateral detorsion groups. The interstitial fibroblast proliferation and hemorrhage of the ipsilateral epididymis were found in the 4-hour detorsion group and increased in the 8-hour detorsion group. Interstitial fibroblast proliferation was prominent in the ipsilateral epididymis of the 24-hour detorsion group, but was only occasionally observed in the contralateral epididymides. Shortening of the tubular epithelial cell height and tubule dilatation were observed in the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymis 1 week after detorsion.
CONCLUSIONS
Torsion/detorsion damage was found earlier and at a higher intensity in the epididymides than in the testes. This finding may be due to the protection afforded by the blood-testis barrier.

Keyword

Testis; Epididymis; Testicular torsion

MeSH Terms

Male
Humans
Rats
Animals

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Photomicrograph of unilateral and contralateral testes after testicular torsion and repair of the torsion. (A) Ipsilateral rat testis 0 hours after detorsion, demonstrating a normal seminiferous tubular contour. (B) Contralateral rat testis 0 hours after detorsion, demonstrating a normal seminiferous tubular contour. (C) Ipsilateral rat testis 8 hours after detorsion, demonstrating some interstitial congestion and slight shortening of the germinal epithelial cell layer. (D) Contralateral rat testis 8 hours after detorsion, demonstrating a normal seminiferous tubular contour. (E) Ipsilateral rat testis 24 hours after detorsion, demonstrating more increased shortening of the germinal epithelial cell layer and a decreased number of spermatids in the seminiferous tubule. (F) Contralateral rat testis 24 hours after detorsion, demonstrating a normal seminiferous tubular contour. (G) Ipsilateral rat testis 1 week after detorsion, demonstrating a normal seminiferous tubular contour. (H) Contralateral rat testis 1 week after detorsion, demonstrating a normal seminiferous tubular contour (H&E, x200).

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  Fig. 2. The mean seminiferous tubular diameter of the ipsilateral testes taken 24 hours after repair of the torsion was significantly decreased. Asterisk indicated p＜0.05, multiple comparison (Dunn procedure) with Kruskall-Wallis test.

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  Fig. 3. The germinal epithelial cell thickness of the ipsilateral testes taken 24 hours after repair of the torsion was significantly decreased. Asterisk indicated p＜0.05, multiple comparison (Dunn procedure) with Kruskall-Wallis test.

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  Fig. 4. Photomicrograph of unilateral and contralateral epididymides after testicular torsion and repair of the torsion. (A, B) Head of the ipsilateral and contralateral rat epididymides 0 hours after detorsion, demonstrating a normal ductal contour. (C) Head of the ipsilateral rat epididymis 4 hours after detorsion, demonstrating interstitial fibroblastic proliferation and hemorrhage. (D) Head of the contralateral rat epididymis 4 hours after detorsion, demonstrating a normal ductal contour compared with the ipsilateral epididymis. (E) Head of the ipsilateral rat epididymis 24 hours after detorsion, demonstrating more increased interstitial fibroblastic proliferation compared with the ipsilateral epididymis 8 hours after detorsion. (F) Head of the contralateral rat epididymis 24 hours after detorsion, demonstrating interstitial fibroblastic proliferation and hemorrhage, but less prominently than the ipsilateral epididymis after the same time. (G) Head of the ipsilateral rat epididymis 1 week after detorsion, demonstrating shortening of the tubular epithelial cell height and tubule dilatation. (H) Head of the contralateral rat epididymis 1 week after detorsion, demonstrating similar histologic findings shown in the ipsilateral epididymis at the same time (H&E, x200).

Reference

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