TESTICLES
“Las dos funciones principales de los testículos son la producción de espermatozoides y la producción de testosterona. La autoexploración testicular rutinaria es la mejor prevención contra las enfermedades gonadales y principalmente contra el cáncer de testículo.”
Doctor Harold Almonte.
Urologist specialist
VASECTOMY
Vasectomy is one of the contraceptive methods for men, which consists in removing sperm from semen. In most cases, it’s done by cutting the vas deferens (tubes that carry sperm from the testicle to the urethra). There are several important things to highlight regarding this procedure, one of them being that sterility is not achieved immediately after surgery. This is because all remaining sperm must be eliminated through ejaculations after surgery (approximately 10 ejaculations). A semen study should be performed (after the “cleansing” period) to ensure that there are no sperm in the semen. It can be reversed through vasovasostomy surgery, although this surgery does not achieve the effectiveness prior to vasectomy. If you have questions regarding the surgery, contact me.
TESTICULAR PAIN
Acute scrotum refers to sudden, intense testicular pain that, depending on its cause, may or may not be accompanied by other symptoms. The most common causes are testicular torsion, which occurs when the cord that carries blood to the testicle rotates on itself, cutting off blood flow. This is a very serious urological emergency, since in a period of approximately 6 hours the testicle can be lost. The treatment is urgent surgery. Another common cause is epididymitis orchitis, which is the inflammation of the testicle. In this case, the pain is gradual and the testicle usually increases in size and becomes hard. Treatment is usually done with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
VARICOCELE
Varicocele is an abnormal dilation of the testicular veins; simply stated, they are varicose veins in the testicles. In most cases, it’s caused by a defect in the valves that prevent blood from flowing back, causing it to accumulate around the testicle. It’s one of the most common causes of testicular pain/discomfort that is sometimes described as a feeling of weight, stinging and/or pain in the testicle that sometimes travels up into to the groin. When the varicocele is bilateral it has been related to infertility. The definitive treatment is surgical, which can be performed through endovascular surgery or open microsurgery.
PUEDES PERDER EL TESTÍCULO EN 6 HORAS
La torsión testicular es cuando el cordón espermático gira sobre su eje y se estrangula así mismo se queda sin flujo sanguíneo y puede necrosarse en 6 horas. ¡ESTO ES UNA URGENCIA!
ES UN CÁNCER MÁS FRECUENTE EN HOMBRES JÓVENES QUE MAYORES
El cáncer testicular es más común en hombres jóvenes, concretamente entre los 15 y los 35 años, aunque puede aparecer a cualquier edadTESTICULAR CANCER
Testicular cancer is more common in young men, specifically between the ages of 15 and 35, although it can appear at any age. The most common form of presentation is as a painless lump in the testicle, with a hard and immobile consistency. Less frequently, it can present as an acute scrotum (see acute scrotum section). Early detection is essential since, if treated in time, it’s potentially curable and has a very high survival rate; the opposite happens when it’s allowed to evolve. That is why urologists insist on routinely self-examining the testicles. Treatment is surgical through radical orchiectomy via the inguinal route +/- chemotherapy or radiotherapy depending on the stage.
HYDROCELE
Hydrocele is the accumulation of fluid between the scrotal covers. It’s a benign condition and is characterized by an overall increase in testicular size. It tends to be soft to the touch and is described as squeezing a “balloon full of water.” Sometimes due to its size, it can cause discomfort that represents an aesthetic problem. Rapid-onset hydrocele is also a rare presentation of testicular cancer. The treatment is surgical and consists of draining the contained fluid and eliminating the space where the fluid has accumulated.
TESTICULAR CYST
The testicular cyst is the accumulation of fluid contained in a specific area of the testicle or the epididymis. It’s convenient to clarify that it’s a benign condition, that doesn’t have a predominance by age, therefore it can appear at any time in life. On examination, it differs from testicular cancer in that it’s soft and mobile and doesn’t usually cause pain. The diagnosis is made by testicular ultrasound and it’s not strictly necessary to treat it, so its treatment will depend on the situation of each person. Since it’s a testicular lesion, it is very important that the diagnosis be determined by a urologist, as it’s one of the differential diagnoses of testicular cancer.