435 Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.32.371.435 on 1 September 1956. Downloaded from TORSION OF THE TESTIS By JOHN E. S. SCOTT, F.R.C.S. Senior Surgical Registrar, The Middlesex Hospital, London, W.i The diagnosis of torsion of the testis is notori- epididymis dangle within the cavity of the scrotum ously difficult, and many cases are missed at the like a bell clapper. early stage when treatment may save the organ. As well as the abnormality of tunical investment, Diagnostic errors are made simply because practi- there may be an alteration in the normal relation- tioners and surgeons are not familiar with the ship of the testis and epididymis. The mesor- condition or do not bear in mind this possibility. chium is elongated so that the testis and 'There is no doubt that many cases of testicular epididymis are separated. This gives rise to a torsion are misdiagnosed as acute epididymitis and broadening of the lower end of the cord, the vas time is lost in the ineffectual treatment of an in- entering along one side and,the vessels along the flammatory condition. When the correct diagnosis other. The testis may even be completely inverted, is made, the testis is found on to be from the so that its exploration hanging epididymis upper poleProtected by copyright. infarcted and has to be removed. Alternatively if becomes the lower. These deformities are usually not explored it undergoes gradual complete present in the undescended testis, probably accoun- atrophy. Early diagnosis and treatment can pre- ting for the frequency of torsion in the cryptorchid. vent these disasters. O'Conor (1933) questioned Muschat constructed a model from serial sections all patients he saw who had atrophied testes and of the cord in a case of torsion and discovered that came to the conclusion that torsion was quite com- the cremaster muscle fibres descended spirally mon. Riba and Schmidlapp (I946) estimate that instead of in a series of loops. He suggested that 75% of twisted testes are lost, and state that it is contraction of the cremaster would therefore tend better to explore a case of epididymitis than miss a to rotate the testis and the cord. case of torsion. Most writers are agreed as to the underlying predisposing deformity though some include Aetiology additional features such as an absent gubernaculum Muschat (I932) investigated the mechanics of or an abnormally large scrotum. Ottenheimer and testicular torsion and came to the following con- Bidgood (I933) recommended resection of the clusions : redundant part of the scrotum. http://pmj.bmj.com/ I. It is doubtful if extravaginal torsion can The direction of the twist is usually from occur. without inwards. 2. A normal testis cannot undergo torsion be- cause of the attachment of the epididymis to the Frequency scrotum. The incidence of testicular torsion is, for reasons 3. The principal predisposing cause of intrava- given, greater than would appear from a review of torsion is an abnormal investment of the the literature. Even so it is not a common con- ginal on September 30, 2021 by guest. epididymis and lower part of the cord by the tunica dition. Wheeler and Clark (I952) collected nine vaginalis. cases in 40,000 hospital admissions. Ewert and 4. The principal exciting cause is contraction Hoffman (I944) found 489 case reports in the litera- of the cremaster muscle. ture. Eight cases have been collected from the In the normal testis the tunica vaginalis does not records of the Middlesex Hospital since 1948. cover the posterior surface of the epididymis which Approximately 50% of cases of torsion occur in is directly attached to the wall of the scrotum. In cryptorchids and as the frequency of undescended all cases of torsion of the fully descended testis it testis is o.I% of all males this is a predisposing will be found that the tunica vaginalis invests with factor. a visceral layer not only the whole epididymis but Kennedy (1948) states that only 5% of cases also the lower part of the cord, so that the testis and suffer bilateral torsion. 436 POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL JOURNAL September 1956 Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.32.371.435 on 1 September 1956. Downloaded from Guice (1954) recorded a case of torsion of an The Recurrent Type. There will have been re- abdominal testis and stated that this was the thir- current episodes of testicular pain and swelling teenth example. In five of these cases the testis every few months or years which have subsided contained a malignant tumour. Malignancy was after a short period of bed rest or a hot bath. The also discovered in scrotal testes removed by final attack which brings the patient to his Doctor Mohardt (1943) and by Babcock (1916) because fails to respond to these measures. The physical they had undergone torsion. Popov (1955) des- signs will be the same as in the acute variety. Van cribed an interesting case of torsion of an inguinal der Poel (I895) described a patient 25 years old who testis in a female intersex. Boggon (1933) reported had attacks for three years and during that time torsion of a supernumerary testis. learnt to untwist his testis himself. Many other cases have been reported. One patient seen by the Diagnosis author was 53 years of age and had suffered from Age. Torsion of the testis occurs most common- attacks of testicular pain every eighteen months to ly between the ages of ten and twenty-fiveyears and two years since the age of fifteen. this fact should help in diagnosis. It has been Aids in Diagnosis. Prehn (I934) described a recorded at birth by Biorn and Davis (I95x) and at sign which is known by his name. If elevation the age of four hours by Taylor (I897). Many of the affected testis relieves pain the patient is cases in the sixth and seventh decades have probably suffering from epididymitis, whereas if occurred. the pain is increased, torsion is more likely. One Symptoms and Signs. There are two modes of of the patients described by him was coincidentally presentation of the typical case oftesticular torsion. suffering from gonococcal urethritis. Some authors Those with an acute sudden onset and those with confirm the value of this sign, though the impres- recurrent symptoms. sion is that it is present in only half the cases. The Acute Type. There is a sudden, very severe Smith (I953) suggests infiltrating the spermatic pain in the affected testis, frequently following cord with local anaesthetic, so the testis rendering Protected by copyright. some minor physical exertion, though often sufficiently anaesthetic to allow easier palpation. occurring during sleep. The pain rapidly increases Kindall and Nickels (1948) found that in in intensity, and may spread to the groin and lower epididymitis there was an early rise of the E.S.R. abdomen. This may be associated with vomiting which did not occur in torsion. and collapse. If left untreated it usually subsides Diffiulties in Diagnosis. Many authors have after 48 hours. Shortly after the onset there is described cases in which torsion of the testis has swelling of the testis which increases with time and occurred in patients found to be suffering from persists when the pain has disappeared. On gonococcal urethritis. The testis was explored examination the testis is enlarged, hard and ex- either because the symptoms and signs were more cruciatingly tender. It is lying in the upperpart of suggestive of torsion than epididymitis or because the scrotum and the cord is thickened. In the early the condition failed to respond to conservative stages it may be possible to palpate the epididymis treatment. and it will be found in an abnormal position unless Torsion which occurs after trauma to a testis the torsion has been through 360 degrees. Later, probably presents most difficulties in diagnosis as the scrotal skin becomes red and oedematous; the the appearances can be ascribed to the trauma.- In http://pmj.bmj.com/ oedema spreading to involve the skin of the penis most cases, however, the trauma is not severe and prepuce. It is important to note that in most enough to produce the acute pain and swelling cases there is complete absence ofurinarysymptoms which is present and careful palpation will reveal suggestive of an inflammatory condition, and that that the epididymis and testis are not in their nor- examination of the urine will show that it is normal. mal position. The important features in differentiating torsion A diagnosis of testicular torsion has been made from epididymitis are:- when some other condition was Gowans present. on September 30, 2021 by guest. I. The sudden onset of very severe testicular (1953) reports a patient with symptoms and signs pain in an adolescent or young man unaccompanied suggesting torsion following a fall. Surgical ex- by urinary symptoms. ploration revealed a normal testis, a funicular her- 2. The swelling of both testis and epididymis nial sac and a traumatic rupture of the terminal which will be found lying transversely in the upper ileum. part of the scrotum. Torsion ofthe Undescended Testis. This is usually 3. The epididymis is in an abnormal position. in the inguinal region but may be in the abdomen. 4. The thickening of the whole cord. Symptoms and signs in the former closely resemble Epididymitis is not common in young boys, a strangulated hernia though the absence of signs though the possibility of mumps orchitis must be of intestinal obstruction and an empty scrotum on excluded. the affected side should raise suspicions. Torsion the Testis September 1956 SCOTT: of 437 Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.32.371.435 on 1 September 1956.