The Effect of Testicular Torsion on the Histologic Findings and Apoptosis of the Contralateral Testis at Various Ages in Rats

Shin, Hong Seok; Cho, Chul Kyu; Moon, Ki Hak

Abstract

PURPOSE: Unilateral testicular torsion, while harming the ipsilateral testis, may also affect the contralateral testis. A reduction in testicular blood flow, immune reactions and biochemical changes have been reported to affect spermatogenesis. However, physiologic fertility, spermatogenesis, the production of sex hormones and the testicualr blood flow might vary according to age. Therefore, an experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of testicular torsion on the contralateral testis at various ages in rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats, 2, 5 and 8 weeks old were divided into 4 experimental subgroups in the torsion only, detorsion (torsion followed by detorsion at 1 hour), orchiectomy (torsion followed by an orchiectomy at 24 hours) and a control group. Six weeks later, the changes in the testicular weight, the mean tubular diameter, spermatogenesis and apoptosis of the contralateral testicle were determined.
RESULTS
The changes in the testicular weight, mean tubular diameter and spermatogenesis were similar in the 2 weeks group regardless of the experimental methods (p>0.05). In the 5 weeks group, the tubular diameter had decreased significantly in the orchiectomy and torsion only group (p< 0.05), and incomplete spermatogenesis was observed in the torsion only group. In the 8 weeks group, the testicular weight and tubular diameter was significantly lower in the orchiectomy and torsion only group (p< 0.05), but spermatogenesis was relatively well preserved. The apoptotic cell index was significantly higher in the orchiectomy and torsion only group at 5 and 8 weeks group (p< 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Unilateral testicular torsion causes histological changes and incomplete spermatogenesis in the contralateral testicle. These results suggest that the effect of a unilateral testicualr torsion was predominant in untreated and pubertal rats, but is rarely observed in infantile rats.