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Newsgroups: alt.tasteless
Subject: Traumatic Orchiectomy
From: "St. Catheter" <dalan@lys.vnet.net>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 10:38:53 -0500

                 Unusual Case: Traumatic Orchiectomy
                       William J. Somers, MD
        Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, Sep. 1991, p. 62

A 25-year-old man was brought to the emergency room. In his hand was a
glass of ice containing his right testicle. "It got ripped off," he said.

On admission, the patient was in stable condition, and there was no active
bleeding from the scrotal wound. Examination of the wound revealed an
irregular laceration with teeth marks on both sides. There was some
tenderness in the right inguinal area at the point where the spermatic
cord had been torn. The severed testicle was intact, with the spermatic
cord still attached.

When asked about the cause of his unusual injury, the patient told this
story: While a prostitute was performing fellatio on him, he complained 
that she was being too rough and slapped her. In response she bit down 
hard on his right scrotum and testicle. He punched her again, and she 
ripped the testicle from the scrotum. As she bolted from the room, the 
man picked up his testicle, placed it in a glass of ice, and called the 
police.

The patient's scrotal wound was cleansed and debrided, but no attempt to 
close it or reanastomose the testicle was made. He was placed on 
intravenous antibiotics and had an uneventful hospital course. He did not 
elect to have a testicular prosthesis implanted.

                               Discussion

Traumatic orchiectomy is a rare occurrence. Most cases are a result of 
industrial accidents or injuries involving heavy machinery. If the wound 
is debrided and cleansed, it may be possible to salvage the testicle by 
performing microvascular anastomosis of the spermatic cord. However, 
since these injuries are usually associated with severe scrotal damage 
and contamination, this is not always possible. Human bite marks carry 
the added risk of multiple bacterial contamination. Thus, reanastomosis 
and wound closure may lead to abscess formation and general sepsis.

William J. Somers is Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of 
Urology, The Ohio State University Hospitals, Columbus.

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[If this seems eerily reminiscent of Scrotum Self-Repair, it should -- 
 it's from the same column of the same journal.]
          St. C, slowly succumbing to Flatliner disease
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