The Pathological Anatomy of Intermittent Testicular Torsion

Baek, Yong Ki; Choi, Seung Kang

Abstract

Testicular torsion is the most common cause of acute scrotal pain in prepubertal and adolescent boys. The overall testicular salvage rate with acute torsion is only 20 to 50 per cent. However, up to 50 percent of the patients with acute torsion have experienced previous episodes of acute testicular pain. Intermittent testicular torsion is a separate entity that should be considered in all young males with a history of scrotal pain and swelling. interspersed with long interval without symptoms. Most males with testicular torsion have aberrant anatomy for the testes to be more susceptible to torsion. Bell-clapper deformity and long mesorchium have been typically described at exploration. On reviewing the medical records. elective orchiopexy was performed on l2 patients under the diagnosis of intermittent testicular torsion during the recent 5 years at Yonsei University Hospital. The features and pathological anatomy of intermittent testicular torsion in these l2 patients are described. Awareness of intermittent testicular torsion as a definite entity and early elective orchiopexy will improve testicular salvage rate.