Treatment of mumps orchitis with adrenal hormones; report of twenty-three cases with a note on hepatic involvement in mumps.

Abstract

Epididymo-orchitis occurs as a complication in the course of mumps in 18% to 43% of postpubertal males.1-4Not only is gonadal involvement accompanied by severe local pain and systemic discomfort, but testicular atrophy is a sequel in about one-half of the cases, and sterility can result, although this is probably unusual.5,6Of the various prophylactic measures that have been tried in males with epidemic parotitis, the administration of diethylstilbestrol has given encouraging results,7,8and early injection of γ-globulin prepared from mumps convalescent serum has resulted in definite reduction in the incidence of orchitis.9The treatment of established orchitis, however, has remained unsatisfactory. Antibiotics,10-14pooled plasma,15-17convalescent serum,18estrogens,7and surgical decompression19-21have been irregularly effective. At present, the usual regimen consists of analgesic and antipyretic drugs with local application of cold and the use of various suspensory devices. The few available descriptions of the histologie characteristics of mumps orchitis20