Late hormonal function after testicular torsion.
BACKGROUND
Testicular torsion may be an important cause of male infertility. We aimed to investigate the late hormonal function in patients with testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury of the testis after orchidectomy or detorsion.


METHODS
Twenty patients (mean age, 13.6 years) were prospectively evaluated at a mean of 5 years after testicular torsion. The serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone (before and after gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation), testosterone, and inhibin B were measured. Fifteen age-matched adolescents without evidence of endocrine disease were used as controls for inhibin B values. Data are quoted as mean +/- SEM.


RESULTS
Twelve patients were treated with detorsion and orchidopexy, and 8 underwent orchidectomy. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone were all within the reference range. Inhibin B levels were significantly reduced in the 2 groups compared with the controls (34.5 +/- 5.2 vs 63.9 +/- 12.8 pg/mL, P = .02), but were not significantly different between the orchidectomy group and the group that underwent detorsion (41.3 +/- 9.7 vs 30.4 +/- 5.9 pg/mL, P = .41).


CONCLUSIONS
Hormonal testicular function can be compromised after testicular torsion, although the type of surgery (orchidectomy or orchidopexy) does not seem to change the effect of this ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Department of Medical and Surgical Pediatric Sciences, Unit of Pediatric Surgery, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy. romeoc@unime.it
Carmelo
C
Romeo
Pietro
P
Impellizzeri
Teresa
T
Arrigo
Pietro
P
Antonuccio
Mariella
M
Valenzise
Silvio
S
Mirabelli
Francesca Astra
FA
Borruto
Gianfranco
G
Scalfari
Francesco
F
Arena
Filippo
F
De Luca
D000293:Adolescent; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000379:methods; D056126:Orchiopexy / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000097:blood; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D013735:Testicular Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013735:Testicular Hormones; C422364:inhibin B; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone