Ipsilateral and contralateral testicular biochemical acute changes after unilateral testicular torsion and detorsion

Abstract

Objectives: An experimental study has been conducted to investigate testicular blood flow alterations through acute biochemical changes during unilateral testicular torsion and detorsion.

Methods: One hundred twenty male albino rats were divided into 12 groups, each containing 10 rats. One group served to determine basal values of biochemical parameters, 4 groups were subjected to varying periods of unilateral testicular torsion (3, 6, 12, and 24 hours, respectively), 3 groups were subjected to detorsion following varying periods of torsion (6, 12, and 24 hours, respectively), and 4 groups underwent sham operations as controls. Levels of lactic acid, hypoxanthine, and lipid peroxidation products were determined in testicular tissues.

Results: Values of these 3 parameters obtained from sham operation control groups did not differ significantly from basal values (p > 0.05). All 3 parameters were increased significantly in both ipsilateral torted and contralateral nontorted testes after unilateral testicular torsion when compared with basal values (p < 0.05). Detorsion did not cause significant changes in levels of lipid peroxidation products in both ipsilateral torted and contralateral nontorted testes when compared with values obtained after torsion (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Ipsilateral testicular torsion causes a decrease not only in the ipsilateral torted but also in the contralateral nontorted testicular perfusion. The clues of reperfusion injury do not become evident following detorsion of testicular torsion lasting more than 6 hours.