Torsion of undescended abdominal testicle in a 16-year-old and its management

Abstract

A 16-year-old boy attended the Emergency Department with sudden severe right iliac fossa pain and associated vomiting. He denied any urinary symptoms, diarrhoea or testicular pain. On examination, he had a locally tender right iliac fossa with guarding. External genitalia and testicular examination revealed an absent right testicle, the left testicle was not tender. The patient was haemodynamically stable. A clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis and possible testicular torsion was made and the patient sent for an urgent diagnostic laparoscopy. At laparoscopy, the patient was found to have a torted, non-viable right-sided testicle in the abdominal cavity. On discussion with urology, a decision was made to excise the torted testicle as it was atrophic and had significant malignant potential. The appendix was normal. The patient made an unremarkable recovery and was discharged.

Keywords: general surgery; urological surgery.