title: The protective effect of erythropoietin infusion on testicular torsion/detorsion: an experimental study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) on the histopathology of testes after unilateral testicular torsion and detorsion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 120 g were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into three groups, a sham group consisting of five rats and the other two groups consisting of ten rats. In group 1 (sham group), right orchiectomy with no additional intervention was performed. In group 2 (T/D group), torsion was created by rotating the testis 720 degrees in a clockwise direction for 4 h. After a 4-h torsion period, the right testis was detorted and replaced into the scrotum for 4 h. After the torsion, 0.5 cc 0.9% NaCl solution was injected once and three times in a week (total 12 doses). In group 3 (T/D + erythropoietin; EPO group), the same surgical procedure was done as in group 1, but EPO 1,000 IU/kg was injected just before the detorsion and three times in a week. At the end of each procedure, bilateral orchiectomies were performed for the histopathological examinations in all groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We examined the testes weight, vascularization of the region between the seminiferous tubules, percentage of necrotic seminipherous tubules, and maturation of spermatogenesis in terms of necrosis, sertoli cells, maturation arrest of spermatogenesis, hypospermatogenesis, and normal spermatogenesis of torsioned testis tissues with and without EPO treatment. Extremely significant differences in testicular weight were observed in group 1 compared to groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of EPO significantly influenced the rescue of testicular function by preserving the intact seminiferous tubular morphology, lowering the percentage of necrotic seminipherous tubules, and significantly reducing histological damage (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Fatih University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Köseoğlu
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.forename: Ersan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hizli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D036502:Infusions, Intralesional; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin