Effects of testicular fixation on oxidative stress-related parameters in prepubertal rat testis

The goal of orchiopexy is to provide adequate scrotal fixation to prevent recurrent torsion of the testis and the spermatic cord or ascent of the testis, to be achieved with minimal trauma to the testis. Forty-two prepubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally distributed into 6 groups (1 SHAM + 5 Operation). In operational groups, two lateral sutures were placed near the upper and lower pole of the testis passing through the tunica albuginea with 4-zero polyglactin suture in the transverse axis of the testis. At the 1st-3rd-7th-15th and 30th postoperative days, bilateral orchiectomy was performed, then malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrite, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathion peroxidase (GPx) values were measured in testicular tissue homogenates. MDA and nitrite levels increased, while GPx and SOD levels diminished, statistically significant in both ipsilateral and contralateral testicular tissue homogenates. Prepubertal testicular fixation causes overproduction of the lipid peroxidation end product and free radicals while heavy consuming anti-oxidant reserve systems in both ipsilateral and contralateral testicular tissue. These results clearly reveal the extent of the testicular deterioration due to suture fixation technique.