A tear in the testicle, a hematoma and a bladder infection. That sounds really painful. The diagnosis that ex-soccer player Thorsten Legat received after a failed jump from the tower resulted in the removal of a testicle. This raises a number of questions. The urologist working in the Frohnau group practice, Dr. Jan Gelhaus answers this in an interview with ntv.de.
ntv.de: How can a testicle tear occur?
dr Gelhaus: In principle, a so-called testicular rupture occurs as a result of a strong, blunt trauma to the scrotum. The testicular tissue is surrounded by a solid capsule, and if something slams against it with great force, this capsule can rupture and testicular tissue bulges out of the capsule. Heavy bleeding usually occurs. The pressure in the testicles increases and with it the pain. Such an injury should be treated surgically as soon as possible.
How is a torn testicle surgically treated?
In acute surgical care, the affected testicle is exposed, the overflowing testicular tissue is removed, and the testicular capsule is sutured. However, the testicles cannot always be saved in this way. Both in the case of very serious injuries and when the surgical treatment has been delayed for too long, it can happen that the testicle can no longer be saved and has to be removed.
You mentioned acute care. When should men definitely and quickly see a doctor?
If you find out after an accident that your scrotum is swollen, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. The swelling is often a sign that something is bleeding. In these cases, it must then be checked whether the testicle is still intact or not. At the same time, the swelling also complicates the diagnosis. It is important that a testicular rupture is recognized in time, especially since it is also a very painful thing.
How often does a testicle rupture?
A testicular rupture is most often caused by blunt genital trauma. There are no reliable figures on the frequency. Typical causes of accidents are accidents while mountain biking or motorcycling. The riders then hit the tank or the bike frame with their scrotum with great force and injure themselves. Other high-risk sports are contact sports, but also ball sports such as soccer or hockey. However, blunt testicular trauma does not always result in a testicular rupture.
How complicated is the surgical removal of a testicle?
The surgery itself is not that complicated. A small incision is made in the scrotum, and the testicle and any bruising are removed. For the individual man, of course, this is a dramatic operation, as it is associated with pain beforehand and ultimately with the loss of a testicle. In addition, although the fertility is maintained by the other healthy testicle, the risks of a fertility disorder and later testosterone deficiency can increase.
What advice do you have for men before jumping off a tower?
Well, I can’t say at all whether, for example, high jumpers protect themselves from such accidents with a testicle protector, also known as a jockstrap, or whether they do anything else to protect their testicles. But I can definitely imagine that, for example, tight-fitting swimming trunks could be helpful for tower jumps, even if you wear them under your swimming shorts.
with dr Jan Gelhaus spoke to Jana Zeh
