[Clinical study on 15 cases of torsion of the spermatic cord]

We experienced fifteen cases of torsion of the spermatic cord during the past 10 years. The age distribution was from 10 to 40 years old and the average age was 21.1 years. All cases except one case of right undescended testis occurred on the left side. To our interest, the onset in 12 of the 13 cases with known onset time were during sleep or within one hour after waking up. All cases except one case in the undescended testis complained of pain of the testis and some of them were accompanied with pain in the inguinal and lower abdominal region. Swelling and tenderness of the testis were observed in most cases and shortness of the spermatic cord probably caused by torsion and secondary inflammation seemed to be important findings. Prehn's sign and fever up were observed in few cases but leukocytosis was seen in 10 cases. Eleven cases of surgical treatment consisting of 10 orchiopexy and one orchiectomy were performed. Four cases of spontaneous detorsion were included in our experience. Orchiopexy of the contralateral intact testis was not done, but, we have never experienced relapse of torsion.