Ultrastructural studies of the contorted and contralateral testicle in unilateral testicular torsion

In 7 patients with acute unilateral testicular torsion, bilateral orchiopexy was performed and biopsies were made at the same time for the purpose of light microscopic (semi-thin section method) and electron microscopic examination. All tissue specimens from the twisted and non-twisted gonads showed changes in the form of tubular atrophy, atrophy of the Leydig cells and malformation at the spermatid level. The results indicate primary tissue damage of the testicles, which was already present before torsion occurred. Nevertheless, it is not possible, on the basis of the these findings, to determine definitely whether the disorders of spermiogenesis frequently found in unilateral testicular torsion are the result of possible congenital dysplasia or damage to the germinal epithelium caused by recurrent subtorsion.