Patient Query in Adolescent Testicular Torsion Cases: "Was it Necessary to Mention My Scrotal Pain?"

Abstract

Objective This study investigates the reasons for the failure to diagnose testicular torsion (TT) in different healthcare facilities (HCFs) and by various physicians. Method We retrospectively analyzed all male patients who underwent TT surgery within the adolescent age group between 2015 and 2023. Healthy adolescent patients who initially presented or were referred to an HCF and were subsequently diagnosed at our hospital for TT surgery were analyzed, focusing on why they were not diagnosed earlier. Results A total of 11 patients aged 10 to 17 who were surgically confirmed to have TT at our hospital between 2015 and 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. These patients had been admitted to various public and private HCFs due to the sudden onset of symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, fainting, sweating, and walking difficulties during and after working hours. Four patients had previously been admitted to one HCF, while seven had been admitted two to six times to an HCF. All patients were healthy, and all but one had received age-appropriate education. However, only two of them had reported experiencing scrotal pain. Laboratory tests and/or radiological examinations were conducted on eight patients, and nine patients received medical treatment and/or prescriptions. None of the patients were initially diagnosed with acute scrotum. Conclusion Despite having unrestricted and free access to well-equipped HCFs, the early diagnosis and treatment of TT are not ensured. Factors contributing to this delay include patients' concealment of, or failure to fully disclose, scrotal complaints, as well as physicians' incomplete history taking and genital examinations. The physician's male gender was not found to contribute to an earlier diagnosis of TT. A mandatory genital examination should be included in the emergency assessment protocol for male patients.