Contralateral genitofemoral sympathetic nerve discharge increases following ipsilateral testicular torsion

The decrease in blood flow due to the activation of sympathetic system has been suggested to play a role in contralateral testicular deterioration associated with unilateral testicular torsion. Sympathetic nerve discharges (SND) from the genitofemoral nerve were evaluated before and during unilateral testicular torsion. Under urethane anesthesia, arterial blood pressure and SND from splanchnic and right genitofemoral nerves were recorded in 12 male Sprague-Dawley rats, 8 of which were included in subsequent analyses. After control recordings of basal discharges for 2 min the left testis was twisted 720° counterclockwise, and recording was resumed for an additional 30 min. Changes in nerve activity were calculated by measuring the area under the autospectrum curve, and alterations were compared. Following testicular torsion no significant changes were obtained for splanchnic SND, but the amplitude of SND from contralateral genitofemoral nerve showed an overall increase of 21.20±7.03% in six rats. This increase lasted about 10–15 min and activities returned to pretorsion levels. In two other rats no significant change was observed in either splanchnic or genitofemoral SND. Ipsilateral testicular torsion results in a transient increase in genitofemoral SND. A possible autonomic reflex mechanism may exist, and it may be activated by noxious stimuli from contralateral side. This reflex mechanism may initiate a series of events that lead to the injury of contralateral testis.