Sudden severe pain in the scrotum, 20 year old man luckily kept his testicles

(Dan Tri) - Having testicular torsion but misdiagnosed as epididymitis, a 20-year-old man (Hanoi) was lucky not to have one testicle removed.

For men, a sudden and severe pain in the scrotum can be a sign of a nightmare called testicular torsion. This is one of the most urgent male medical emergencies, if delayed can lead to permanent loss of the "precious gem".

The case of Huy (20 years old, Hanoi , character name has been changed) is an example. While at home, he suddenly felt severe pain in the right testicle.

Worried, his family took him to a nearby general hospital for examination. There, he was diagnosed with epididymitis and right testicular hydrocele, and was hospitalized for antibiotic treatment.

Testicular torsion is an emergency in andrology (Photo: Hospital).

However, seeing that his pain did not improve, his family decided to transfer him to Hanoi Medical University Hospital.

At the Emergency Department, doctors found classic clinical signs of testicular torsion. The patient was conscious and had no fever, but the right testicle was hanging higher than normal, rotated, and painful to the touch.

Diagnostic results showed that the patient had right testicular torsion at 7:00.

With each passing minute, the risk of irreversible testicular necrosis increased. An emergency red alert procedure was immediately activated. Within an hour of admission, the patient was taken to the operating room.

During the surgery, the doctors noted that the right testicle and epididymis had turned dark purple due to anemia, and the spermatic cord was twisted 1.5 times. The surgical team promptly performed detorsion, blockade, and warming of the testicle.

After 15 minutes of tense waiting, the testicle began to partially turn pink, a sign that it was still possible to save it. The decision was made to preserve the testicle, and at the same time, doctors proceeded to sew both testicles to the scrotum to prevent the risk of recurrence in the future.

Signs of testicular torsion

Master - Doctor Nguyen Xuan Duc Hoang, Department of Andrology and Gender Medicine, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, said that testicular torsion is a phenomenon in which the spermatic cord (the stalk of the testicle, containing blood vessels) is twisted, blocking blood circulation to the testicle, causing pain and swelling.

"If not treated promptly, the testicles will become necrotic and must be removed. Meanwhile, epididymitis is a disease with similar symptoms but is treated medically," said Dr. Hoang.

According to Master - Doctor Nguyen Xuan Duc Hoang, with testicular torsion, the golden time is only 6 hours (Photo: D.H).

According to the doctor, the rate of saving the testicle is very high (over 90%) if the patient is operated on within the first 6 hours from the onset of pain. This rate drops to 50% after 12 hours and only less than 10% after 24 hours. The case of the above patient at the 7th hour was a real race and luck smiled.

Early signs of testicular torsion include:

- Sudden, severe pain on one side of the scrotum.

- Swollen, red scrotum.

- One testicle is higher than normal.

- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.

Doctors recommend that when there are any signs of sudden pain in the scrotum, men should consider it a medical emergency. Absolutely do not hesitate, do not arbitrarily use painkillers or wait for the pain to go away on its own. At the same time, you need to immediately go to reputable medical facilities with Andrology or Urology specialties.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/dot-ngot-dau-du-doi-vung-biu-chang-trai-20-tuoi-may-man-giu-duoc-tinh-hoan-20251004172250676.htm