Acute increase in plasma D-dimer level in ovarian torsion: an experimental study

BACKGROUND: Torsion of the ovary is a rare but serious cause of gynecologic surgical emergency. Specific laboratory markers that support the preoperative diagnosis of ovarian torsion are not currently available in the clinical routine. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of plasma D-dimer level as an early indicator of ovarian torsion in an experimental rat ovarian torsion model. METHODS: Sixteen female adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this controlled experimental study. Eight rats in the sham operation group (Group I) underwent a surgical procedure similar to Group II but the ovary was not occluded. In Group II (eight rats), a torsion model was created by using atraumatic vascular clips just above and below the right ovary for a 2-h period of ischemia. Right ovaries were surgically removed at the end of the procedure in each group. Blood was sampled before and after operation to assess plasma D-dimer levels. The main outcome measure was ovarian histopathologic findings scores and plasma D-dimer levels. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in pre-operative plasma D-dimer levels (0.5963 +/- 0.2047 mg/l in Group I, 0.6344 +/- 0.1348 mg/l in Group II, P = 0.815, Mann-Whitney U-test). However, mean plasma D-dimer value for Group II was significantly higher than that in the control group (1.2267 +/- 0.3099 versus 0.6213 +/- 0.2346 mg/l, respectively, Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.001), following 2 h of ovarian torsion. Ovarian tissue damage scores were also statistically significantly different among groups. CONCLUSIONS: If the observations made in a rat model are extended to humans, plasma D-dimer measurement may be a valuable parameter in the early diagnosis of ovarian torsion.