Testicular torsion repair: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

P Testicular torsion repair is surgery to untangle or untwist a spermatic cord. The spermatic cord is the collection of blood vessels in the scrotum that lead to the testicles. Testicular torsion develops when the cord twists. This pulling and twisting blocks blood flow to the testicle.

T Description
P Most people will get general anesthesia for testicular torsion repair surgery. This will make you asleep and pain-free.
P To perform the procedure:
- The surgeon will make a cut in your scrotum to get to the twisted cord.
- The cord will be untangled from the testicle. The surgeon will then attach the testicle to the inside of your scrotum using stitches.
- The other testicle will be attached in the same way to prevent future problems.

T Why the Procedure is Performed
P Testicular torsion is an emergency. In most cases, surgery is needed right away to relieve pain and swelling and to prevent the loss of the testicle. For the best results, surgery should be done within 4 hours after symptoms begin. By 12 hours, a testicle may become damaged so badly that it has to be removed.

T Risks
P Risks of this surgery are:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Pain
- Wasting away of the testicle despite the return of blood flow

T Before the Procedure
P Most of the time, this surgery is done as an emergency, so there is often too little time to have medical tests beforehand. You may have an imaging test (most often ultrasound) to check for blood flow and tissue death.
P Most of the time, you will be given pain medicine and sent to a urologist for surgery as soon as possible.

T After the Procedure
P Following your surgery:
- Pain medicine, rest, and ice packs will relieve pain and swelling after surgery.
- Do not put the ice directly on your skin. Wrap it in a towel or cloth.
- Rest at home for several days. You may wear a scrotal support for a week after surgery.
- Avoid strenuous activity for 1 to 2 weeks. Slowly start doing your normal activities.
- You may resume sexual activity after about 4 to 6 weeks.

T Outlook (Prognosis)
P If surgery is done in time, you should have a complete recovery. When it is done within 12 hours after symptoms begin, the testicle can be saved most of the time.
P If 1 testicle has to be removed, the remaining healthy testicle should provide enough hormones for normal male growth, sex life, and fertility.

T Patient Instructions
- Surgical wound care - open

T Images
- Male reproductive anatomy
- Testicular torsion repair - series

T References
P Ban KM, Easter JS. Selected urologic problems In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 99.
P Barthold JS. Abnormalities of the testes and scrotum and their surgical management. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2012:chap 132.
P Elder JS. Disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St Geme JW III, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 545.
P Wampler SM, Llanes M. Common scrotal and testicular problems. Prim Care. 2010;37:613-626. PMID: 20705202 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20705202.

T Review Date 8/31/2015
P Updated by: Jennifer Sobol, DO, urologist at the Michigan Institute of Urology, West Bloomfield, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

