The spermatic cord was ligated in Charles River adult rats producing viable reversible and non viable damaged testes. Weight of the rats, weight of the testes, weight of the epididymis, sperm motility, sperm concentration and fertility were the different parameters assessed. The results showed that there is a high percentage of subsequent atrophy in the ligated testes, and that there is a definite correlation between the length of the occlusion and the amount of testicular injury sustained. Leaving a ligated testis in situ for three months provoked a severe reduction in fertility and some lesser reduction in the sperm motility in the contralateral testis. This damage was not observed in the rats where the ligated testes were removed.
A necrotic torted testis left in the scrotum affects the contralateral testis, resulting in depressed fertility. It was suggested that testicular torsion provoked a systemic response of an immunologic nature. In order to prove this theory, 56 rats were operated. Ten had a sham operation, in 17 a testis was torted and excised after 24 h, and in 29 a testis was torted and excised after 24 h, and in 29 a testis was torted but left in situ till the sacrifice. Antisperm-antibodies were not found in any phase of the experiment in the sham group. Using indirect immunofluorescence, antisperm-antibodies were found in the sera of 8/17 rats of the orchiectomy group and in 24/29 of the detorted group. In the direct immunofluorescence study, all the antibodies were localized in the tail of the spermatozoid. The antisperm-antibodies disappeared after 3 to 6 months.
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