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Noradrenaline and nitrite‐nitrate concentrations in the contralateral testes during ipsilateral spermatic cord torsion in the presence or absence of a testis and epididymis
Author(s) -
Tanyel,
Aydın,
Erden Banoğlu,
Isimer,
Büyükpamukçu
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.00024.x
Subject(s) - spermatic cord , epididymis , nitrite , medicine , endocrinology , nitric oxide , nitrate , andrology , chemistry , anatomy , sperm , organic chemistry
Objective To determine the changes occurring during ipsilateral spermatic cord torsion either in the presence or absence of the ipsilateral testis and epididymis, by evaluating noradrenaline and nitrite‐nitrate concentrations in the contralateral testes. Materials and methods Forty male albino rats were allocated randomly to one of four equal groups undergoing: group 1, a sham operation; group 2, ipsilateral spermatic cord torsion; group 3, epididymo‐orchidectomy only; and group 4, spermatic cord torsion after epididymo‐orchidectomy. The contralateral testes were harvested after 24 h and the noradrenaline and nitrite‐nitrate contents determined. The levels in each group were compared using the Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann–Whitney U ‐tests. Results The noradrenaline content of testes from group 2 was significantly lower than in those of groups 1 and 3, but there were no significant differences in content between groups 1 and 3, 1 and 4, and 2 and 4. The content in group 4 was significantly less than that in group 3. There were no significant differences in nitrite‐nitrate contents among any of the groups. Conclusion Spermatic cord torsion for 24 h, either in the presence or absence of a testis and epididymis, significantly decreased the noradrenaline content in the contralateral testis. This finding supports the suggestion that the sympathetic system is activated by exposure to noradrenaline in the contralateral testis during ipsilateral spermatic cord torsion, with no dependency on the presence of a testis and epididymis. As the nitrite‐nitrate concentrations were unaffected, nitric oxide seems to have no role in contralateral testicular deterioration.