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The effects of human chorionic gonadotropin treatment on the contralateral side in unilateral testicular torsion

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Abstract

Background/Purpose: Unilateral testiculartorsion can cause histologic damage, consistingof aspermatogenesis and tubular atrophy, in thecontralateral testis human chorionic gonadotropin(HCG) treatment is widely used in undescendedtestis, and has been shown to improvehistomorphometric alterations beside thetesticular descent. However, the role of HCGin testicular torsion has not beeninvestigated before. Therefore, this experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of HCGtreatment on contralateral testicular histologyand function in unilateral testicular torsion. Methods: Forty adult male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups: SHAM, SHAM+HCG, TORSION, and TORSION+HCG. Torsion wascreated by twisting the righ testis 720° and maintained by fixing it to thescrotum. HCG treatment started 24 hours after the torsion at a dose of 100 IU/kg, twiceweekly for three weeks. Left orchiectomy was performed one month after the torsion andremoved testes were immersed in Bouin'sfixative for histopathological evaluation. Meanseminiferous tubule diameter (MSTD) wasmeasured and Johnsen's score was calculated. Bloodsamples were taken for assaying serum testosteron level. Results: Unilateral testicular torsion resulted in a significant decrease inspermatogenesis and MSTD on the contralateral side. Serumtestosteron level was also reduced. HCGtreatment improved these parameters in the contralateral`untwisted' testis beside the serumtestosteron. Conclusions: Our data demonstrates thatunilateral testicular torsion adverselyeffects its counterpart. HCG treatment improvescontralateral histomorphometric alterationsand serum testosteron in unilateral torsion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Suleyman Demirel University Medical School, Isparta, Turkey

    Çağrı Savaş, Meltem Özgüner, Faruk Özgüner & Namık Delibaş

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  1. Çağrı Savaş
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  2. Meltem Özgüner
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  3. Faruk Özgüner
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  4. Namık Delibaş
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Correspondence to Çağrı Savaş.

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Savaş, Ç., Özgüner, M., Özgüner, F. et al. The effects of human chorionic gonadotropin treatment on the contralateral side in unilateral testicular torsion. Int Urol Nephrol 35, 237–245 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:UROL.0000020288.58686.5b

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:UROL.0000020288.58686.5b

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