Microvascular Blood Flow is Altered After Repair of Testicular Torsion in the Rat

Abstract

Increasing times of torsion are associated with lower microvascular blood flow values during the hour following the relief of torsion. Vasomotion is eliminated by torsion during the period studied. Whether vasomotion returns is unknown, but altering this flow pattern might be involved in the mechanism of injury caused by acute torsion.

Ipsilateral testicular necrosis and atrophy after 1,080-degree torsion of the spermatic cord in rats

“…6 The rat is the most widely used animal in the spermatic cord torsion model. Rats are cheaper and have a similar testicular volume to that of larger animal models.…”

“…The results, however, have been conflicting. With 720-degree of torsion, several studies have reported reduction in testicular blood flow varying from 61.7% to 100%; [5][6][7][8] with ischemic injury after periods of time as diverse as 1 hour and 8 hours of torsion. [7][8][9][10][11] This experimental study with rats was performed with the objective of assessing the incidence of testicular necrosis immediately after one to four hours of 1,080-degree torsion of spermatic cord (testicular ischemia); the incidence of testicular necrosis and atrophy 60 days after detorsion of the spermatic cord (testicular ischemia/reperfusion) in rats undergoing 1,080-degree torsion of the spermatic cord between one and four hours; and differences in rates of testicular necrosis immediately after 1, 2, and 4 hours of 1,080-degree torsion of spermatic cord, and 60 days following detorsion of the spermatic cord.…”

Testicular Torsion-Detorsion- Histological and Biochemical Changes in Rat Testis

“…Previous studies in a rat model of testicular torsion found that a 720° rotation is virtually sufficient to eliminate testicular blood flow [ 9,11] and that reperfusion begins immediately after the repair of torsion and the blood flow returns to control value [9].…”

“…The results, however, have been conflicting. With 720-degree of torsion, several studies have reported reduction in testicular blood flow varying from 61.7% to 100 % [5,[9][10][11], with ischemic injury after periods of time as diverse as 1 hour and 8 hours of torsion [10][11][12][13][14]. In a rat model of testicular torsion, permanent loss of spermatogenesis is observed after torsion repair despite the return of blood flow [11].…”

Orthogonal Polarization Spectral Imaging: A Novel Tool for Examination of Microcirculatory Changes in the Testis

“…Many animal models and human studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between the duration and degree of torsion and the subsequent damage of the testis (Anderson and Williamson 1986;Becker et al, 1997). However, the available experimental and clinical data have not revealed the exact mechanisms of the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the testes, and this remains a topic of interest.…”