Prospective randomised controlled trial comparing sub-epididymal orchiectomy versus conventional orchiectomy in...

Androgen blockade (surgical or medical castration) is a standard procedure for patients with metastatic carcinoma prostate. Sub-epididymal orchiectomy involves removal of testis leaving behind epididymis. This epididymal stump over a period gives a pseudo testicular feel within the scrotum. We present a prospective randomized study to assess the functional utility of this procedure and compare it with total orchiectomy in terms of achieving castrate levels. From July 2005-Jan 2008, 60 patients with metastatic carcinoma prostate were alternately randomised and allotted to two groups, 30 underwent sub-epididymal orchiectomy (group A) and remaining 30 (group B) underwent total orchiectomy. Age: 56-80 years. Serum PSA: 55-268 ng/ml. Preoperative serum testosterone: Group A-300-650 ng/ml and group B-320-640 ng/ml. Postoperative serum testosterone: group A-2-18 ng\ml and group B-7-15 ng\ml on day 7 after surgery. Operating time-26-40 mins for group A and 20-34 mins for group B. Follow up-6 weeks and 3 months. At 3 months patients were asked to grade appearance of scrotum for asthetic value on a scale of 1-100 using visual analogue score. Postoperative serum testosterone reached castrate levels in seven days (both groups). Duration of surgery in both groups was comparable. Complications-wound infection in 1 patient (group A) & 1 scrotal hematoma (group B). Satisfaction score for group A (83.5 ± 9.7) was significantly (p < 0.05) better (95%CI-18.58-28.42), compared to that of group B (60 ± 9.4) by using't' test. Sub epididymal orchiectomy is comparable to total orchiectomy in terms of achieving castrate levels with similar operating time. It has significant advantage in terms of mental satisfaction to patients. It is a simple and safe procedure that can be conveniently performed in an outpatient clinic setting using pure local anaesthesia.