Effect of botulinum-A toxin to cremaster muscle: an experimental study.
OBJECTIVE
A controversy exists on the definition, etiology and treatment of the retractile testes. In the present experimental study, we aimed to show the effect of botulinum-A toxin (Botox) on cremasteric muscle of a rat, and whether it may be an alternative to surgical treatment of retractile testis.


METHODS
Ten Wistar rats were used in the study. By stimulating cremasteric reflex, five compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) of the right and left cremasteric muscles of each rat were recorded using surface electrodes. Intramuscular injection of botulinum-A toxin was done to the right side. Saline was injected to the left cremasteric muscles, and the left side also served as control. CMAP of the cremasteric muscles were recorded 45 days after the injection. Statistical analysis was done using Wilcoxon Signed rank test.


RESULTS
Mean CMAP of the right side was 3.25+/-1.39 microV before the injection and 0.44+/-0.25 microV after botulinum-A toxin injection. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Mean CMAP on the left side was 3.48+/-0.32 microV and 3.14+/-1.12 microV at baseline and the end of the study, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The botulinum-A toxin paralyzes the cremasteric muscles of the rats. As cremasteric hypertonicity is accepted as one of the reasons for retractile testes, botulinum-A toxin injection to cremasteric muscles may be helpful in diagnosis and may be an alternative to surgical treatment of this pathology in repeated dosages. Long-term evaluation of this paralysis is necessary.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey. cakmakma@hotmail.com
Murat
M
Cakmak
Fatma
F
Cağlayan
Ali Kemal
AK
Erdemoğlu
Sevgi
S
Ulusoy
D000818:Animals; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013737:Testis
D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A