The effects of human chorionic gonadotropin treatment on the contralateral side in unilateral testicular torsion.
OBJECTIVE
Unilateral testicular torsion can cause histologic damage, consisting of aspermatogenesis and tubular atrophy, in the contralateral testis human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) treatment is widely used in undescended testis, and has been shown to improve histomorphometric alterations beside the testicular descent. However, the role of HCG in testicular torsion has not been investigated before. Therefore, this experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of HCG treatment on contralateral testicular histology and function in unilateral testicular torsion.


METHODS
Forty adult male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups: SHAM, SHAM+HCG, TORSION, and TORSION+HCG. Torsion was created by twisting the righ testis 720 degrees and maintained by fixing it to the scrotum. HCG treatment started 24 hours after the torsion at a dose of 100 IU/kg, twice weekly for three weeks. Left orchiectomy was performed one month after the torsion and removed testes were immersed in Bouin's fixative for histopathological evaluation. Mean seminiferous tubule diameter (MSTD) was measured and Johnsen's score was calculated. Blood samples were taken for assaying serum testosteron level.


RESULTS
Unilateral testicular torsion resulted in a significant decrease in spermatogenesis and MSTD on the contralateral side. Serum testosteron level was also reduced. HCG treatment improved these parameters in the contralateral 'untwisted' testis beside the serum testosteron.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrates that unilateral testicular torsion adversely effects its counterpart. HCG treatment improves contralateral histomorphometric alterations and serum testosteron in unilateral torsion.
Savaş
Cağri
C
Suleyman Demirel University Medical School, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Isparta, Turkey. cagrisavas@yahoo.com
Ozgüner
Meltem
M
Ozgüner
Faruk
F
Delibaş
Namik
N
D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin