Testicular rupture is a rip or tear in the tunica albuginea resulting in extrusion of the

testicular A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testost ...

contents, including the

seminiferous tubule Seminiferous tubules are located within the testes, and are the specific location of meiosis, and the subsequent creation of male gametes, namely spermatozoa. Structure The epithelium of the tubule consists of a type of sustentacular cells known ...

s. It is a rare complication of

testicular trauma Testicular trauma is an injury to one or both testicles. Types of injuries include blunt, penetrating and degloving. Because the testes are located within the scrotum, which hangs outside of the body, they do not have the protection of muscles an ...

, and can result from blunt or penetrating trauma, although blunt trauma is more likely to cause rupture. Testicular rupture, typically resulting from trauma sustained during a motor vehicle crash or sports play, mainly affects those from the ages of 10–30. The main symptoms of testicular rupture are

scrotal The scrotum or scrotal sac is an anatomical male reproductive structure located at the base of the penis that consists of a suspended dual-chambered sac of skin and smooth muscle. It is present in most terrestrial male mammals. The scrotum co ...

swelling and severe pain, which can make diagnosis difficult. Testicular rupture should be suspected whenever blunt trauma to the scrotum has been sustained. Treatment consists of surgical exploration with repair of the injury. __TOC__

Treatment

A potential testicular rupture is evaluated with

ultrasound Ultrasound is sound waves with frequency, frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing range, hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hea ...

imaging. Testicular rupture is treated with surgery, but the procedure performed depends on the magnitude of the injury and the salvageability of the tissue. An

orchiectomy Orchiectomy (also named orchidectomy, and sometimes shortened as orchi or orchie) is a surgical procedure in which one or both testicles are removed. The surgery is performed as treatment for testicular cancer, as part of surgery for transgend ...

, which is the removal of the affected testis, is done when the testis is not salvageable and leads to reduced

semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Semen i ...

quality and higher rates of endocrine dysfunction than repair of salvageable tissue.

Prognosis

90% of ruptured testes are successfully repaired when treated surgically within 72 hours; the percentage of successful treatment drops to 45% after this period. Though not typically fatal, testicular rupture can cause

hypogonadism Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the gonads—the testes or the ovaries—that may result in diminished production of sex hormones. Low androgen (e.g., testosterone) levels are referred to as hypoandrogenism and low estrogen ...

, low

self-esteem Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth or abilities. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Mackie (2007) d ...

, and

infertility Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusocial species (mostly haplodiploid insects). It is the normal state ...

. However, if left untreated the damaged tissue may become

necrotic Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, or trauma which result in the unregulated dige ...

, which could lead to death.{{cn, date=May 2021

References

Testicle disorders Men's health