Penetrating Scrotal Injuries: A War Time Experience in a Civilian Setup

AIM: To present our experience in managing testicular involvement in penetrating scrotal injuries, trying to highlight a possible role for conservative management of selected cases. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively all-penetrating scrotal injuries presented to Alyarmook teaching hospital for the period between January 2009 and November 2015, including only those injured victims who reached the hospital alive. Patients’ charts reviewed regarding their demographic data including age, status being civilian or military, and married or single. We documented as well the cause of injury (bullets vs. explosive devices), laterality, associated injured organs, and type of management performed whether operative or non-operative conservative approach. Postoperative complications were recorded while in-patient and after a follow-up period of at least 1 month. RESULTS: Thirty-one penetrating scrotal injuries were identified, resulted in 34 injured testicles. The patients’ mean age was 34.35 years (±12.89standard deviation [SD]) (18–70 years). Most of the victims 24 (77.4%) were civilians. Explosive devices were the cause of injury in 23 patients (74.2%), while bullets were the cause in the remaining 8 patients (25.8%). Orchidectomy needed to be done in 17 (50%) testicles, while 11 (32.4%) injured testes were repaired by suturing. Six cases (17.6%) were treated conservatively without any surgical intervention. The overall testicular salvage rate was (50%). Twenty-one patients (68%) had associated injuries, mostly fractures. Complications occurred in 10 (32.2%) patients, including two mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: Management of genitourinary injuries continues to be a challenging task. In our penetrating testicular injured series, we succeeded to salvage 50% of the injured testes. Non -surgical treatment is feasible in selected patients, an approach that needs further study and longer follow-up.