Testicular torsion induced by epididymo-orchitis: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Acute scrotum is considered a urological emergency requiring early intervention depending on the cause. There are multiple causes of acute scrotum with testicular torsion being the most feared as delayed treatment leads to testicular loss. However, differentiating between epididymo-orchitis and torsion can be very difficult.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a case of an 18-year old male patient with 2 separate episodes of acute scrotum. He had epididymo-orchitis as the first presentation followed by testicular torsion 5 days later. To our knowledge this is the first case of testicular torsion secondary to epididymo-orchitis.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Differentiating between epididymo-orchitis and torsion is challenging but important due to risk of loss of testis with a wrong diagnosis. Once you establish epididymo-orchitis the suspicion for subsequent torsion should be high with close follow up and adequate counselling.

CONCLUSION

He ultimately had orchiectomy, although a rare presentation, enlarged testis due to epididymo-orchitis can predispose an individual to developing testicular torsion thus adequate counselling on warning signs to patients with epididymo-orchitis is of particular importance so as to intervene early and ultimately save the testis.