title: Prospective study on the effects of a polypropylene prosthesis on testicular volume and arterial flow in patients undergoing surgical correction for inguinal hernia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate testicular volume and arterial flow in patients undergoing surgical correction for inguinal hernia, with polypropylene prosthesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational prospective clinical study on 39 male patients with unilateral inguinal hernia of types III A and III B according to the Nyhus classification who underwent surgical correction with implantation of a polypropylene prosthesis by means of the Lichtenstein technique. The patients were evaluated using Doppler ultrasound before the operation and selectively at the third and sixth months after the operation. The variables studied were testicular volume, systolic and diastolic velocity, resistance index and pulsatility index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant alterations in the variables studied were observed over the course of time: testicular volume (p= 0.197); systolic velocity (p= 0.257); diastolic velocity (p= 0.554); resistance index (p= 0.998); and pulsatility index (p= 0.582).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No alteration in testicular volume and arterial flow over a six-month period was observed among patients who underwent surgical correction for inguinal hernia using a polypropylene prosthesis.
authors.affiliation: University of Health Sciences of Alagoas, Brazil. evlimant@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Edgar Valente de
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Lima Neto
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Mário Jorge
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jucá
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013526:Surgical Mesh / Q000009:adverse effects; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes