Testicular trauma is an injury to one or both
testicle
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 testoste ...
s. Types of injuries include blunt, penetrating and degloving.
Because the testes are located within the
scrotum
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 ...
, which hangs outside of the body, they do not have the protection of muscles and bones. This makes it easier for the testes to be struck, hit, kicked or crushed, which occurs most often during
contact sport
Contact sports are sports that emphasize or require physical contact between players. Some sports, such as mixed martial arts, are scored on impacting an opponent, while others, including rugby football, gridiron football and Australian rules fo ...
s. Testicles can be protected by wearing
athletic cups during sports.
Trauma to the testes can cause severe pain, bruising, swelling, and/or in severe cases even infertility. In most cases, the testes—which are made of a spongy material—can absorb some impact without serious damage. A rare type of testicular trauma, called
testicular rupture Testicular rupture is a rip or tear in the Tunica albuginea of testis, tunica albuginea resulting in extrusion of the testicle, testicular contents, including the seminiferous tubules. It is a rare complication of testicular trauma, and can result f ...
, occurs when a testicle receives a direct blow or is squeezed against the hard bones of the pelvis. This injury can cause blood to leak into the scrotum and possibly even infertility and other complications. In severe cases, surgery to repair the rupture—and thus save the testicle—may be necessary.
In at least one case, testicular trauma was reported as the cause of a patient developing
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an inflammatory state affecting the whole body. It is the body's response to an infectious or noninfectious insult. Although the definition of SIRS refers to it as an "inflammatory" response, i ...
(SIRS) despite otherwise minor trauma.
[KC Okonkwo, KL Wong and L Gilmer]
Testicular trauma resulting in shock and systemic inflammatory response syndrome: a case report
''PubMed'' Cases J. 2008; 1:4. . .
See also
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Ball-busting
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Groin attack
A groin attack is a deliberate strike to the groin area of one's opponent. The technique can be quickly debilitating due to the sensitivity of the groin area and genitalia, and is sometimes used as a self-defense technique. The technique is often ...
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Testicular torsion
Testicular torsion occurs when the spermatic cord (from which the testicle is suspended) twists, cutting off the blood supply to the testicle. The most common symptom in children is sudden, severe testicular pain. The testicle may be higher than ...
References
External links
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Testicle disorders
Men's health