Relationship of Low Temperature with Testicular Torsion

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether there is a correlation between seasonal temperature change and frequency of testicular torsion.

Study Design: An observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: Departments of Urology, Hitit University Corum Training and Research Hospital, Corum and Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Turkey, from June 2005 to December 2014.

Methodology: Patients who had been diagnosed with testicular torsion and operated in the last 10 years were retrospectively reached through the hospital records. The seasons and the seasonal average temperature occuring in this region were recorded.

Results: The median (IQR) age of the patients was 14 (10.8 - 17.0) years. Testicular torsion was on the right side in 18 (60%) and left side in 12 (40%) patients. Twenty-four (80%) patients underwent surgical detorsion and bilateral testicular fixation while 6 (20%) patients underwent orchiectomy. There were 14 (46.6%) cases in the winter months, 7 (23.3%) in the spring months, 4 (13.3%) in the summer months, and 5 (16.6%) in the fall months. Acute testicular torsion in the winter to be statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Acute testicular torsion was seen more commonly in cold season with low temperature.