A. Semercioz et al., EFFECTIVENESS OF HYPOTHERMIA IN PREVENTING TESTICULAR INJURY FOLLOWING TESTICULAR TORSION AND DETORSION, Medical science research, 26(5), 1998, pp. 327-330
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.