[Histological alterations of the muscle cremaster in certain inguinal-scrotal anomalies]

The alteration in the cremaster muscle has been involved in the pathogeny of certain inguinal-scrotal anomalies, even though there are no conclusive studies up to date. The target of our paper is to determine the eventual existence of alterations in the cremaster muscle (CM) that helps to explain the etiopathogeny of different anomalies such as inguinal hernia, hydrocele or undescended testicle. We carried out a study on 42 patients with: inguinal hernia (n = 14), cryptorchidism (n = 14) and hydrocele (n = 14). Samples of the cremaster muscle were taken during the surgical intervention. Surgical samples were introduced or into formol and glutaraldehyde or into physiological serum and freezing for histological study. They were dyed with hematoxilin-eosin, PAS and phosphotungstic acid haematoxilin. In the histochemical study NADH, phosphoric hydrolases and Engel's trichromic were used. Parameters indicative of myopathic changes were evaluated. All CM samples from all three groups showed myopathic changes of primary type in different levels: first, second and third stages. This changes that produce alterations in the muscle's contractility, changes might make us think in a primary myopathy even though there are data pointing to a neurological influence on it.