We describe a patient with thrombosis of the pampiniform plexus cured using heparin. A 40-year-old man was referred to our hospital with pain in the left scrotum. A physical examination revealed a painful, 20-mm long, beaded mass in the upper left paratesticular region. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography revealed 10-mm long thrombosis in the left pampiniform plexus, so intravenous heparin was started. The patient recovered well and was discharged on oral anticoagulation therapy after five days of hospitalization. The patient was completely asymptomatic, and ultrasonographic findings of the left testicle were normal at six months after starting treatment. We found 19 patients with thrombosis of the pampiniform plexus including the present patient, in the English and Japanese literature to date. Here, we review these 19 patients and discuss their clinical features.
Keywords: acute scrotum; anticoagulant therapy; thrombosis of the pampiniform plexus.