[Late changes of the testicular tissue in experimental torsion of the spermatic cord (author's transl)].

In three experimental groups and a control group unilateral or bilateral torsion of the testicle were carried out in 195 mature rats. The testicles were retorted at various intervals up to 24 hours. Four weeks and three months following the torsion the retorted as well as the contralateral normal testicles were examined morphologically and histologically. A total testicular torsion is fully reversable after one hour in all cases and after 2 hours in 40% of the cases. The Sertoli cells are destroyed after 6 hours and the Leydig cells after 10 hours. The time causing irreversable tissue damage therefore appears to be shorter than generally assumed, and the germinative epithelium is reacting faster than the testosterone producing Leydig cells. No changes were noted in the contralateral normal testis.