Page 13 - SONO 260 Chapter 13 The Male Pelvis

PATHOLOGY OF THE SCROTUM TESTICULAR TORSION
• TESTICULAR TORSION, WHICH MAY ALSO BE REFERRED TO AS SPERMATIC CORD TORSION, OCCURS WHEN THE ARTERIAL BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE TESTICLE IS CUT OFF SECONDARY TO THE TWISTING OF THE TESTICULAR AXIS.
• THE DEGREE OF TORSION CAN VARY AND CAN BE INTERMITTENT.
• A 360 DEGREE TORSION WILL RESULT IN BLOCKED VENOUS DRAINAGE AND
ARTERIAL SUPPLY.
• THIS WILL LEAD TO ISCHEMIA WITHIN THE TESTIS.
• CONSEQUENTLY, THE AMOUNT OF ISCHEMIC DAMAGE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DEGREE OF TORSION.
• TESTICULAR TORSION OCCURS MORE OFTEN DURING ADOLESCENCE, BETWEEN 12 AND 18 YEARS OF AGE.
Copyright © 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins