Factors Associated With Delay to Care in Pediatric and Adolescent Adnexal Torsion

Diagnosis of adnexal torsion is challenging due to variable clinical presentations and often inconclusive imaging results. We hypothesized that diagnostic delays are common, leading to prolonged ischemia and subsequent tissue loss. We aimed to identify factors associated with diagnostic delays in pediatric patients with adnexal torsion.

We performed a multi-institutional retrospective review of females aged 5 to 18 years with confirmed adnexal torsion between 2013 to 2022. Delay to care was defined as prior emergency department discharge within 7 days of operation and/or hospital admission without initial plan for operation.

862 patients were identified from 10 children's hospitals, with delayed diagnosis in 30%. Patients with delay were less likely to present with emesis or fever, have initial pediatric surgery consultation, or have typical ultrasound findings of torsion compared to those without delay (P < .05). For every unit increase in area deprivation index, the odds of delay increased by 1.3% (odds ratio 1.013, 95% CI, 1.007-1.018). The odds of delay were 81% greater for patients living > 30 miles from the hospital compared with 1-10 miles (odds ratio 1.812, 95% CI, 1.236-2.657). Oophorectomy and salpingectomy rates were 10% and 13%; those with delay had higher risk of oophorectomy (14% vs 7%, P = .002).

Delayed diagnosis of adnexal torsion is common and associated with higher area deprivation index and farther distance from hospital. Risk of oophorectomy was higher in patients with delay. Improved diagnostics and increased awareness of social disparities are critical to decrease time to definitive treatment and improve rates of adnexal salvage.