Acute Scrotum Pain (Nursing)

Excerpt

The acute scrotum is defined as “the constellation of new onset pain, swelling, and/or tenderness of the intrascrotal contents.” Patients may describe the onset of symptoms as rapidly as occurring within minutes or up to 1 to 2 days dependent on the etiology. The acute scrotum is an umbrella term that includes a wide variety of unique disease processes. Rapid evaluation and diagnostics are necessary due to the time dependency of certain morbid but reversible conditions, such as acute testicular torsion.

Knowledge of the relevant anatomy is essential to understanding the differential diagnosis and subsequent steps in the evaluation. The testes are ovoid-shaped organs roughly 3 cm to 5 cm by 3 cm by 3 cm and vertically-oriented. The tunica albuginea envelops them with continuous internal septations converging into a mediastinum testis which acts as the structural support for the organ. This, in turn, is enveloped by the tunica vaginalis. Posterolateral to the testis is the epididymis, a curved structure roughly 6 cm to 7 cm in its longest dimension. Its efferent ductules converge to form the ductus epididymis and eventually the vas deferens.

The vascular anatomy of the scrotal contents is also important to review. The testes receive a joint supply of blood from the testicular artery, deferential artery, and the cremasteric artery. While the deferential artery and the cremasteric artery are branches of the inferior vesical and inferior epigastric artery, respectively, the testicular artery branches directly from the abdominal aorta. The testes are drained via small branching veins forming the pampiniform plexus and ultimately the testicular vein. Notably, the testicular vein drains directly into the inferior vena cava on the right while it drains into the left renal vein contralaterally.

The vascular structures, vas deferens, and nerves are all bound within the spermatic cord, a conduit allowing passage from the peritoneum to the scrotum via the inguinal canal. The cremaster muscle is also found within the spermatic cord. The tunica vaginalis usually surrounds only part of the testis and epididymis and then attaches posteriorly to the scrotal wall. However, when the tunica vaginally surrounds the testis and part of the spermatic cord, the testicle is no longer fixed to the scrotal wall and able to twist freely. This is known as the Bell-Clapper deformity and has an incidence of up to 12%.