EFFECTIVENESS OF HYPOTHERMIA IN PREVENTING TESTICULAR INJURY FOLLOWING TESTICULAR TORSION AND DETORSION

We have investigated the preventive and curative effects of hypothermi a on experimentally induced torsion and detorsion of torsion injuries in male Wistar rats. Experimental torsion (720 degrees) and detorsion of torsion were applied for 2 and 4 h. The control animals were sham-o perated. For hypothermic treatment, the animals were held and the test es exposed to the previously prepared ice bath (4 degrees C) for 2-4 h . All experimental groups (except detorsion of torsion for 2 h group) had significantly less germinal epithelial cell layers than in control animals. The values from detorsion of torsion for 4 h group were sign ificantly lower than those seen in the 4 h torsion group. In the torsi oned and detorsioned rats, hypothermic treatment significantly preserv ed the germinal epithelium as compared to their respective experimenta l groups. We conclude that hypothermic treatment is of clinical signif icance in the acute torsion cases. Furthermore, exposure to hypothermi a before detorsion of torsioned testes may prevent the reperfusion-rel ated injuries. (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.