Surfactant administration reduces testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanism of testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury has not been well delineated. We determined the efficacy of a biocompatible surfactant (tetronic 1107) to reduce tissue injury and evaluated cell membrane integrity as reflected by calcium ion permeability in an in vivo animal model of testicular ischemia-reperfusion.


METHODS
Three groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 per group) were studied. Group 1 was the nonoperative control, and groups 2 and 3 underwent 4 hours of unilateral testicular ischemia followed by 4 hours of reperfusion. Ten minutes after reperfusion 0.4 ml. saline was administered intravenously to group 2 and 180 mg./kg. surfactant tetronic 1107 to group 3. 99mTechnetium pyrophosphate was used to monitor calcium ion uptake by the ipsilateral and contralateral testicles. Both testicles were also examined histologically.


RESULTS
The surfactant treated animals had markedly diminished hemorrhagic discoloration and vascular congestion compared to saline treated animals. These results were confirmed microscopically with improved nuclear chromicity and disarray of germ cell layers of the seminiferous tubules. The surfactant treated group also had a statistically significant (p <0.05) reduction in radiotracer uptake compared to the saline treated animals, confirming a reduction in calcium ion permeability.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that tetronic 1107 is effective in reducing tissue damage in a testicular ischemia-reperfusion animal model.
Palmer
J S
JS
Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Illinois 60637, USA.
Cromie
W J
WJ
Lee
R C
RC
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply*
D005029:Ethylenediamines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C112299:Tetronic 1107; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D002118:Calcium