Complications from a testicular prosthesis in a stallion

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Equine Surgery
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Cryptorchidism, or retained testes, is a common condition in horses.
• Surgical intervention is often required to address retained testes.
• Testicular prostheses are sometimes used to maintain scrotal volume post-orchiectomy or in cases of retained testes.

Observation:

• A 3-year-old Quarter Horse stallion presented with a persistent draining scrotal fistula.
• The fistula developed 5 months after the placement of a testicular prosthesis.
• The prosthesis was implanted 10 months prior due to an unsuccessful attempt to reposition a retained left testis.

Findings:

• Surgery revealed the left testis encased within a fibrous mass surrounding the infected prosthesis.
• The left testis had descended post-prosthesis placement.
• Involvement in the infected fibrous tissue necessitated the removal of both the prosthesis and the descended testis.

Implications:

• The use of testicular prostheses in cases of retained testes may lead to complications such as infection and fistula formation.
• Infection associated with the prosthesis can compromise the viability of a subsequently descended testis.
• Avoiding prosthetic placement in such cases might have allowed for a more favorable outcome for the stallion's reproductive potential.