G Cavalie1, Alexandre Bellier2, G Marnas1, B Boisson3, Y Robert1, P Y Rabattu1, P Chaffanjon1,4. 1. Laboratoire d'Anatomie Des Alpes Françaises (LADAF), UFR de médecine de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes, Domaine de la Merci, 38706, La Tronche Cedex, France. 2. Laboratoire d'Anatomie Des Alpes Françaises (LADAF), UFR de médecine de Grenoble, Université Grenoble Alpes, Domaine de la Merci, 38706, La Tronche Cedex, France. abellier@chu-grenoble.fr. 3. Département d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologique, Institut de Biologie et de Pathologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, BP 217, 38043, Grenoble Cedex 09, France. 4. GIPSA-Lab-Dpt. Parole et Cognition, UMR 5216, Grenoble Campus, 11 Rue des Mathématiques, BP 46, 38402, Saint Martin d'Hères Cedex, France.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The anatomy of gubernaculum testis (GT) is often discussed; however, the postnatal anatomy of the GT or scrotal ligament (SL) is rarely described. Hence, we performed an anatomical and histological study to analyze histologically the structures between testis and scrotum. METHODS: We performed anatomical dissections on 25 human fresh cadavers' testes. Each testis was removed with its envelopes and macroscopically analyzed. Then samples were included for histological study. Finally, they were analyzed under microscope, looking for attachments between testis, epididymis and scrotal envelopes. RESULTS: The absence of proximal and distal attachment was found in 56.0% of cases. Looking at the proximal attachment of the SL, the main one found is the epididymal attachment (28.0%), whereas no cases of testis attachment was found. Distally, there are more variations with scrotal attachment (12%) and cremaster attachment (12.0%). We found a significant prevalence of multiple adherences in 16.0% of cases too. Finally, in 15 cases (57.7%) an attachment is present between testis and epididymis, as it is commonly described. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of cases there is no attachment of the lower pole of the testis and epididymis and these structures remain free. So it seems that the SL disappears with aging. Moreover, there is not only one kind of ligamentous attachment, but a high variability of attachments at the lower pole of the testiculo-epididymal structure. When it exists, this structure is never a real ligament and it seems more appropriate to use the term "attachments".
PURPOSE: The anatomy of gubernaculum testis (GT) is often discussed; however, the postnatal anatomy of the GT or scrotal ligament (SL) is rarely described. Hence, we performed an anatomical and histological study to analyze histologically the structures between testis and scrotum. METHODS: We performed anatomical dissections on 25 human fresh cadavers' testes. Each testis was removed with its envelopes and macroscopically analyzed. Then samples were included for histological study. Finally, they were analyzed under microscope, looking for attachments between testis, epididymis and scrotal envelopes. RESULTS: The absence of proximal and distal attachment was found in 56.0% of cases. Looking at the proximal attachment of the SL, the main one found is the epididymal attachment (28.0%), whereas no cases of testis attachment was found. Distally, there are more variations with scrotal attachment (12%) and cremaster attachment (12.0%). We found a significant prevalence of multiple adherences in 16.0% of cases too. Finally, in 15 cases (57.7%) an attachment is present between testis and epididymis, as it is commonly described. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of cases there is no attachment of the lower pole of the testis and epididymis and these structures remain free. So it seems that the SL disappears with aging. Moreover, there is not only one kind of ligamentous attachment, but a high variability of attachments at the lower pole of the testiculo-epididymal structure. When it exists, this structure is never a real ligament and it seems more appropriate to use the term "attachments".
Authors: T R Nation; S Buraundi; P J Farmer; A Balic; D Newgreen; B R Southwell; J M Hutson Journal: Anat Rec (Hoboken) Date: 2011-05-25 Impact factor: 2.064
Authors: Paweł Osemlak; Konrad Miszczuk; Grzegorz Jędrzejewski; Paweł Nachulewicz; Iwona Beń-Skowronek; Agnieszka Brzozowska Journal: Pediatr Res Date: 2021-02-18 Impact factor: 3.756