The organs of the scrotum are represented by a chamber, in the cavity of which there is a testicle, sex glands, spermatic cord and epididymis. They, like all other organs of the body, are susceptible to various types of injuries, but the painful sensations for the victim are most pronounced here, up to painful shock, which can lead to loss of consciousness. Often, hematoma and edema form at the site of injury, serious injuries are fraught with the fact that the testicle can fall out of the chamber, and the scrotum can completely break off.
The organs of the scrotum can suffer from mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical and other types of influences. Due to its close proximity to the penis, it is also often damaged during injury. Due to the fact that most patients with these types of damage are young enough, it is very important to provide quality care and treatment to maintain the quality of reproductive function.
Types of injury
By the degree of violation of the integrity of the skin:
- open - the integrity of the tissues is violated, often accompanied by damage to the organs of the genitourinary system;
- closed - the skin is not broken, but internal hemorrhage, crushing of the testicles and the appearance of hematoma are possible.
For reasons of occurrence, stab, lacerated, cut, gunshot, chemical, bite wounds are isolated.
Depending on the degree of involvement of additional organs, they can be isolated or interconnected.
The most serious type of injury is traumatic amputation - the artificial tearing of the scrotum, which entails serious consequences and requires prompt medical intervention.
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Causes of injury
All cases of scrotal organ trauma recorded by traumatologists account for approximately 80% of closed injuries. Strong blows to the scrotum, intentional or accidental, lead to their appearance.
In some sports, professions and lifestyles, injuries occur quite often, even if not significant. This can lead to a decrease in sperm activity, as well as to violations in their production.
Often, doctors have to deal with thermal damage - hypothermia, burns with steam, boiling water, hot objects.
The least common causes of injury are stab and cut wounds, they usually have many concomitant injuries to other organs, and therefore require complex treatment by different specialists.
Symptoms and specificity
Closed injuries, as a rule, do not entail damage to the organs of the scrotum and can be limited only to a soft tissue injury. With serious closed injuries, unpleasant consequences are possible: rupture of the spermatic cord, squeezing of the testicle or appendages.
Bruises and bruises can have both minor external manifestations and lead to internal hemorrhages, extensive hematomas in the groin area and on the inner thighs. Due to the bruise, the color of the scrotal tissue changes (from purple to dark purple), edema occurs. The trauma is accompanied by severe pain. Sometimes there are cases when the testicle is dislocated, that is, displaced relative to its natural location. The spermatic cord is exposed to the least impact in closed injuries, as it is reliably protected by the internal organs of the scrotum. He can only be squeezed by the hematoma that has arisen.
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Open injuries, as a rule, have more serious consequences, since they suggest damage to the skin, and, therefore, there is a high probability that the internal organs of the scrotum are also affected. Such injuries are accompanied by severe pain shock up to loss of consciousness, as well as profuse blood loss and swelling. The testicle is heavily damaged, which can even come off and fall out.
Diagnostics
Even minor injuries need a doctor's examination. Serious injuries are repaired with the intervention of urologists, andrologists, surgeons and traumatologists. You cannot hesitate with help, because we are talking about a man's reproductive health.
To diagnose injuries, traumatologists use the method of ultrasound examination of the organs of the scrotum and blood vessels to detect rupture, fragmentation of the testicle or the presence of a foreign body in the cavity. If necessary, a painless scrotal diaphanoscopy procedure is performed to study the nature of the hematoma.
First aid
If the bruise is closed, and the nature of the injury is not severe, for example, a shock during a sports activity, then a cooling compress can be applied to prevent soft tissue edema. The duration of exposure should not exceed 15 minutes per hour.
If necessary, a tight bandage is applied to maintain an elevated position of the scrotum.
A day later, for home treatment of trauma, heating methods are used - compresses and heating pads.
You should not self-medicate for serious forms of damage, healing under the supervision of a doctor will be less painful and much faster.
Treatment
With mild degrees of damage, the traumatologist prescribes anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, as well as physiotherapeutic methods of treatment: paraffin therapy, a light therapy procedure with a Solux lamp, UHF.
In case of testicular dislocation, its reduction is performed surgically. Abundant hematoma undergoes drainage, with the help of which the blood and fluid accumulated inside the scrotal cavity is removed. If necessary, testicular resection is performed, as a result of which damaged nonviable tissues are removed.
In case of open injuries, the surgeon carries out the primary treatment of superficial wounds, if the nature of the damage requires it, then the soft tissues are sutured.
The most serious intervention is performed in a scrotal tear situation, in which the testicles are placed in an artificially created cavity in the skin of the thigh, and after a few weeks they return to the scrotum formed from a skin flap.
If there was a bite in the groin area by any animal, then drugs for rabies are administered to the patient.
Damage prevention
When playing sports, men should be extremely careful, because any damage to the organs of the scrotum can affect the quality of sexual life and the ability to reproduce. For sports, choose loose-fitting clothing, avoiding tight leotards. If the activity is related to movement, such as motor sports or horse riding, you should take care of additional protection of the genitals.
The use of supplements, the action of which is aimed at improving the elasticity of connective tissue and the protective functions of cells, helps to prevent serious consequences of scrotal injuries and reduces the risk of complications.
