Testicular Workup for Ischemia and Suspected Torsion in Pediatric Patients and Resource Utilization

Abstract

Background: Testicular torsion (TT) is a pediatric emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and management. The Testicular Workup for Ischemia and Suspected Torsion (TWIST) scores patients on clinical symptoms and can predict TT. This study aimed to determine if the application of TWIST to children with acute scrotal pain could decrease the use of Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) and emergency department (ED) length of stay and ischemic time.

Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study applying TWIST to patients who presented to a pediatric ED with acute testicular pain from December 2017 to June 2019 was performed. Demographics, TWIST score, diagnosis, DUS, consults, and time to the operation were recorded. Patients were stratified into low (LR), intermediate (IR), and high (HR) risk groups for TT based on TWIST score. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed.

Results: Seventy-seven patients were included in the study and had a mean age of 9.24 y ±5.24. All 9 HR patients (TWIST = 5-7) had TT, and none of the 57 LR patients (TWIST = 0-2) had TT. Use of TWIST could have reduced the number of DUS needed to diagnose TT from 69 to 11 (75.3% reduction in DUS).

Conclusions: TWIST accurately predicts torsion in HR groups and excludes torsion in LR groups. Application of TWIST to HR patients may eliminate the need for DUS and decrease ischemic time and cost of care. Application of TWIST in LR patients may likewise eliminate the need for DUS and decrease ED length of stay and cost of care.

Keywords: Pediatrics; Resource utilization; Screening; TWIST score; Testicular torsion.