title: Neonatal testicular torsion--a lost cause?
abstract: Twenty-four neonates presented with signs of testicular ischaemia over a 13-year period. They had a mean birth weight of 3.706 kg. The right testicle was affected in 13, the left in 9 and there was bilateral torsion in 2 babies. Two babies had no twist in the cord, but the testicles were nonviable macroscopically and microscopically. Twenty-one babies had primary exploration revealing necrotic testes in all patients and they underwent orchidectomies. The other three babies had conservative management and the affected testes had atrophied on follow-up. Sixteen babies had contralateral orchidopexy. Doppler ultrasound scans were reported as normal in 2 of 13 babies who had scans. No testes were salvaged following surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of testicular torsion in the neonatal period was calculated as 6.1 per 100,000 live births. No testis was salvaged following surgery in our series of 24 patients. This dismal outcome underlines that immediate surgical exploration, although commonly performed, rarely saves torted testes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Cheri Mathews
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Gagan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kooner
authors.forename: Deepa E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Shiban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Simon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kenny
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007238:Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler