IS IPSILATERAL TESTIS MANDATORY FOR CONTRALATERAL TESTICULAR DETERIORATION ENCOUNTERED FOLLOWING SPERMATIC CORD TORSION

Although deteriorating effects of unilateral spermatic cord torsion ar e generally accepted, the mechanism remains controversial. An experime ntal study was performed to evaluate the necessity of testicular and s permatogenetic material for contralateral testicular deterioration fol lowing unilateral spermatic cord torsion in rats. The animals were all ocated to four groups: control, spermatic cord torsion, subepididymal orchiectomy, and spermatic cord torsion 14 days after subepididymal or chiectomy. The testes were removed on the 14th days and mean seminifer ous tubular diameters and mean testicular biopsy scores were determine d. Although contralateral testicular deterioration was more pronounced in the presence of testicular tissue, the absence of testicular tissu e and/or spermatogenetic material did not prevent its occurrence. This is highly suggestive that autoimmune mechanism does not play a role i n contralateral testicular damage following unilateral spermatic cord torsion.