Histologic Alterations in the Ipsilateral and Contralateral Testes and Epididymides of Rats following Unilateral Torsion and Detorsion of the Testes

Abstract

Purpose: This investigation was undertaken to determine the damage to the testes and epididymides following torsion and detorsion of the testes. Materials and Methods: The right testes of 8-week-old male rats (n=30) were subjected to torsion for 10 min. At 0, 1, 4, 8, and 24 hours, and 1 week after the repair of a torsion, the ipsilateral and contralateral testes and epididymides were harvested. The mean number of spermatids per tubule, the mean seminiferous tubular diameter (MSTD), and the germinal epithelial cell thickness (GECT) were used to evaluate changes to the testes. The histologic changes to the epididymal ductal epithelium were also evaluated. Results: The mean number of spermatids per tubule, GECT, and MSTD were significantly decreased in the 24-hour ipsilateral detorsion group, but minimal changes to ipsilateral testes were observed in the 1-week detorsion group. There was no evidence of histologic changes to the testes in any of the contralateral detorsion groups. The interstitial fibroblast proliferation and hemorrhage of the ipsilateral epididymis were found in the 4-hour detorsion group and increased in the 8-hour detorsion group. Interstitial fibroblast proliferation was prominent in the ipsilateral epididymis of the 24-hour detorsion group, but was only occasionally observed in the contralateral epididymides. Shortening of the tubular epithelial cell height and tubule dilatation were observed in the ipsilateral and contralateral epididymis 1 week after detorsion. Conclusions: Torsion/detorsion damage was found earlier and at a higher intensity in the epididymides than in the testes. This finding may be due to the protection afforded by the blood-testis barrier. (Korean J Urol 2008; 49:945-952) 󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏