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My 13 year old son has just had torsion of the left test...

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My 13 year old son has just had torsion of the left testicle and emergency surgery to untwist and secure both testes. However, due to our ignorance of what his symptoms could indicate and equal ignorance on the part of our GP's receptionist who gave us a same day appointment rather than an emergency one, my son was not seen by a surgeon until 12 hours had already elapsed from onset. He was operated on as soon as possible at about 14 hours and the surgeon decided not to remove the left testicle because he thinks that it may recover (it was blue rather than black). So now we all have to wait and see. If this is a fairly common complaint and as intervention is so critical within the first few hours, why is there so little publicity given to this condition? My husband and I are both well-educated professional people but neither of us knew what symptoms to look out for. It could be argued that a male child is more likely to experience testicular torsion than viral meningitis so why are parents not told to be vigilant for this condition and to act swiftly?

[i:aa606ba545]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:aa606ba545]

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3 Replies

  • The_Comet
    The_Comet

    Posted

    My son had a torsion of one of his testicles when he was 12 - he is now 21. Like you I like to think I'm pretty clued up to symptoms of any potential illness/ailment/condition. He unfortunately banged his testicle which hurt initially then the pain went away - about 2 hours later he was sick - this apparently is quite common (I think its called referred pain) but as a parent I never connected the two and unfortunately because he didnt present with pain in the testicle area I just thought he had some viral sickness. The next morning his testicle had swelled up to treble the size and we went straight to casualty emergency in the hospital where he was operated on as by then the ultrasound showed the testicle was not viable there was no life left and the testie removed. As a parent you go through such horrible guilt. Even writing this now 9 years later is bringing tears to my eyes. The reason I'm also writing this is because I know my son is still suffering and is not completely happy. He had a prosthesis inserted about 2 years ago and seemed fine. Although I recently asked how he was and he implied he felt different, not comfortable with this. I have scoured the internet looking for a support group for this condition. I imagine he's not the only person living with this condition and probably needing someone in a similar condition to talk too. So far I cannot find anything. If anybody knows of any organisation/counselling I can contact please can you reply to this add.
  • james197
    james197

    Posted

    I totally agree with you both! I was browsing just now online for a support group, but alas to no avail. It's a pity our schools don't teach more about this health problem when we're learning about sex ed since I feel if I'd learned about it in primary school I feel I'd have had a better chance of figuring out the sharp, stabbing-like pain I was feeling in my balls at various times wasn't normal at all and required surgery to rectify! I experienced these symptoms for several years as a teen, but was too embarrassed to tell anyone and seeing it'd subside after a few minutes I thought it was normal. But, it's never normal to feel pain I've since learned. So it wasn't until I was 22 that I woke up one morning to find my right testicle feeling like a stone! All I can remember was the day before I played a rough game of soccer with my cousin and his friends, but don't recall any injury to my groin. During the night I recall tossing and turning in bed and it must've been one of the turns that twisted my testicle IDK. My dad was overseas at the time and my mom was as ignorant as I was. I naively thought I was experiencing some infection and that it'd subside after a few days. So it wasn't until 7 days later(!) I went to see my GP. He thought, like myself, it was a case of inflammation and prescribed me antibiotics. He also booked me in for an ultrasound. After the ultrasound showed no blood circulation in the testicle I was booked for emergency surgery at the local hospital. I didn't choose to have a fake testicle implanted. After my operation, I think it was, I went back to my GP who obviously had looked into the medical records of my family history since my uncle's family visited the same GP and he asked me if I'd known my cousin had suffered testicular torsion as well, but had the corrective surgery a few years back. I couldn't believe it! I hung out with my cousin nearly every day throughout our childhood and teen years and not once had he mentioned to me he'd surgery for testicular torsion. If I recall correctly I think it was my cousin's dad (my mom's brother) who later confessed to me he'd the same condition and underwent surgery decades ago as a young boy. But, my mom told me she'd never been told the truth. She was told he'd a hernia operation that's all. Maybe he was feeling a little guilty about what I was enduring IDK. I felt disappointed and depressed for a long time. It wasn't long after my surgery that my uncle had to return to hospital after decades since his corrective surgery and have one of his testicles removed. IDK I reckon my cousin must've felt guilty too or uncomfortable around me after my learning the truth and I feel this whole episode in my life contributed to estranging our relationship as I loved him like a brother, but we haven't ever really hung out since (I'm 36 now) even though I miss him heaps and wish he'd chosen not to distance himself. He's married with a boy of his own. IDK, but I think this single episode in my life changed the entire course of my future as it's contributed to self-esteem and trust issues, depression and its contribution to my long-term unemployment, and an unhealthy perception of self as my own ideas of masculinity or sexuality were affected to the point I no longer feel worthy enough of getting romantically involved with a girl, getting married or having kids of my own even though deep down I'd love all these things! Anyway from this experience I've learned a couple things: 1) If you ever feel pain or think the symptoms aren't serious just go straight to the GP to be sure, as the saying goes, "Better safe than sorry" and 2) Just be honest and don't lie to people. You never know if the person you're talking to is going through the same thing you've gone through, but doesn't even know it. So you might spare them a lot of hurt and be looked upon as a hero to them for ever more. God knows I cannot praise my GP enough for his choice to be open and honest with me (unlike my own extended family).
  • indrajit93068
    indrajit93068 Guest

    Posted

    Hello,

    I am 22 year old male and in my scenerio also, I was having severe testicular pain in my left testicle but the doctor mis diagnosed it and says it was just an infection and left me on antibiotics and pain killers, but after three days when the pain din't go away I visited an urologist and he says that it was torsin and I had a surgery. 

    and after surgery the doctor told me that the testicle was rather redish in color then black so he left it in.

           But now its been almost 1.5 months my left testicle is rock hard and the the vein that connects the testicle is also rock hard to some extent in my groin. So I just wana know since your sons and my case is almost the same, so i wana know is he fully recovered. Please reply thank you.. :-)

     

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