Korean J Transplant.  2022 Nov;36(Supple 1):S276. 10.4285/ATW2022.F-4171.

Testicular pain after laparoscopic left-sided living donor nephrectomy: postoperative scrotal ultrasonography findings

• Choi S
• Cho HJ

• KMID: 2535503
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2022.F-4171

Abstract

Background
Ipsilateral orchialgia after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has been rarely described. Our objective is to investigate the incidence and characteristics of testicular pain following LDN, and the relationship among orchialgia, the level of ligation of gonadal vein (GV) and results of postoperative scrotal ultrasonography.
Methods
Perioperative data and patient demographics were collected prospectively. During the study period, all patients who underwent left-sided LDN were evaluated with scrotal duplex ultrasonography at 1 to 2 months after LDN. The ligation of the GV at the level of renal vein confluence was defined as level 1 and the ligation of the GV at or below the level of the crossing of iliac vessels was defined as level 2.
Results
Between March 2017 and December 2018, 61 male patients (level 1 group, 33 patients vs. level 2 group, 28 patients) underwent left-sided LDN. Ipsilateral orchialgia developed in 26 patients (42.6%) and 12 of 33 patients (36.4%) and 14 of 28 patients (50.0%) in level 1 and 2 groups, respectively (P=0.283). There was no statistical difference in patient demographics and periop-erative data according to the level of ligation of GV and/or the presence of orchialgia. In the statistical analysis of scrotal duplex ultrasonography, 12 of 33 (36.4%) and 7 of 28 patients (25.0%) had an ipsilateral varicocele in level 1 and 2 groups (P=0.340). Among the patients with ipsilateral testicular pain, 4 of 12 (33.3%) and 2 of 14 patients (14.3%) had an ipsilateral varicocele (P=0.365). All patients with orchialgia in level 1 and 2 groups had no statistical differences in orchialgia incidence, onset, dura-tion, and intensity.
Conclusions
Ipsilateral testicular pain following LDN may be more common than known. We found that the incidence of testicu-lar pain following LDN was not related to the level of ligation of GV. The results of postoperative scrotal ultrasonography were not consistent with the development of ipsilateral testicular pain.