Tumores del cordón espermático y las túnicas escrotales / Spermatic cord and scrotal tunica tumors

Entre los tumores paratesticulares, los del cordón espermático y las túnicas escrotales son los más frecuentes y en su mayoría benignos. En este trabajo se realizó la actualización del tema; se hizo énfasis en aspectos del diagnóstico y tratamiento. Se efectuó una búsqueda bibliográfica en libros de consulta, así como en las bases de datos de Hinari, PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS y en el motor de búsquedas de Google, entre el 2009 y el 2013. Se utilizaron los términos del MeSH, en idiomas español e inglés: tumores paratesticulares, tumores intraescrotales, tumores del cordón espermático y tumores de las túnicas escrotales. Clínicamente, es básico realizar el diagnóstico diferencial con la hernia inguinal y con el hidrocele. El ultrasonido es el estudio de imagen de elección para su valoración inicial, aunque por su inespecificidad se recurre a la tomografía axial computarizada y a la resonancia magnética nuclear, para obtener más detalles. Para establecer el diagnóstico de certeza, se recomienda la biopsia por congelación transoperatoria, vía inguinotomía. La citología aspirativa con aguja fina, es una opción confiable para clasificarlos si existe sospecha preoperatoria de benignidad, es posible la tumorectomía en los benignos y se evita la orquiectomía radical con ligadura alta del cordón espermático, indicada para los malignos. Una vez confirmado el diagnóstico histológico y el estadio, el manejo debe ser onco-urológico para decidir la conveniencia de tratamientos adyuvantes. Los tumores malignos recurren con mucha frecuencia y a veces tardíamente, lo que obliga al seguimiento estricto y prolongado de estos pacientes.

Among the paratesticular tumors, the spermatic cord and the scrotal tunica tumors are the most frequent and benign. This paper updated this topic, making emphasis in diagnosis and treatment issues. A literature search was made in books and in Hinari, PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS databases and in Goggle in the period of 2009 through 2013. The MeSH terms in English and Spanish were used: paratesticular tumors, intrascrotal tumors, spermatic cord tumors and scrotal tunica tumors. From the clinical viewpoint, it is fundamental to make the differential diagnosis with the inguinal hernia and hydrocele. The US testing is the imaging study of choice for initial assessment, although its lack of specificity makes specialists to resort to computer axial tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance to have more details of the case. For the purpose of reaching a precise diagnosis, the transoperative freezing biopsy through inguinotomy was recommended. The fine needle aspiration cytology is a reliable option to classify them if the case is suspected of benignancy preoperatively. It is possible to perform tumorectomy in the benign tumors, thus avoiding radical orchiectomy with upper ligature of the spermatic cord, which is the indicated approach to the malignant ones. Once the histological diagnosis and the staging are confirmed, the management should be oncological and urological in order to decide whether the adjuvant treatments are convenient or not. The malignant tumors recurred very frequently and sometimes in later phases, so these patients must be strictly followed-up for a long time.

Effects of traction on the spermatic cord of rats

PURPOSE: To determine whether tension in the spermatic cord of rats causes lesions in the testis, epididymis or vas deferens. METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups. A traction force of 1.6 Newton (N) in group I and 1 N in group II was applied to the right spermatic cord. Group III was the sham, and group IV served as the control. RESULTS: Testicular lesions occurred on the right side in 66.7% of the rats and on the left side in 46.1% of the rats. The testes showed a decreased number of Sertoli cells, necrosis and a decreased number of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules. Anatomopathological changes in the vas deferens were not identified. There was no decrease in the thickness of the muscle wall of the vas deferens. In the right epididymis, 71.8% of the animals showed a reduction and 5% showed an absence of intraluminal sperm. In the left epididymis, 37.5% of the rats showed a reduction. The volume and the final testicular weight of the right side in group IV was different from those in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomopathological lesions were found in the testis and epididymis. .