Effects of traction on the spermatic cord of rats

Forty Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups. A traction force of 1.6 Newton (N) in group I and 1 N in group II was applied to the right spermatic cord. Group III was the sham, and group IV served as the control.

RESULTS:

Testicular lesions occurred on the right side in 66.7% of the rats and on the left side in 46.1% of the rats. The testes showed a decreased number of Sertoli cells, necrosis and a decreased number of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules. Anatomopathological changes in the vas deferens were not identified. There was no decrease in the thickness of the muscle wall of the vas deferens. In the right epididymis, 71.8% of the animals showed a reduction and 5% showed an absence of intraluminal sperm. In the left epididymis, 37.5% of the rats showed a reduction. The volume and the final testicular weight of the right side in group IV was different from those in the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Anatomopathological lesions were found in the testis and epididymis.

Spermatic Cord; Vas Deferens; Testis; Orchiopexy; Hernia, Inguinal; Rats

Testicular volume (cm³)			Difference between group means	p-value
	Groups		Difference between group means	p-value
Initial testicular volume	I (1.7 ± 0.3)		-	-
	II (1.5 ± 0.2)		-	-
	III (1.4 ± 0.2)		-	-
	IV (1.7 ± 0.4)		-	-
Final testicular volume	I (1.0 ± 0.4)	IV (1.4 ± 0.3)	I - IV = -0.4	0.001¹
Final testicular volume	III (0.9 ± 0.4)	IV (1.4 ± 0.3)	III - IV = -0.5	0.003¹
Testicular volume variation	I (-0.8 ± 0.5)	II (-0.3 ± 0.2)	I - II = -0.5	0.023²
	I (-0.8 ± 0.5)	IV (-0.1 ± 0.3)	I - IV = -0.7	0.001²
	III (-0.6 ± 0.4)	IV (-0.1 ± 0.3)	III - IV = -0.5	0.038²
Variation in RTV compared to the initial measurement	I (-47.3 ± 25.3)	IV (-5.5 ± 15.3)	I - IV = -41.8	0.001²
Variation in RTV compared to the initial measurement	III (-41.0 ± 30.3)	IV (-5.5 ± 15.3)	III - IV = -35.5	0.007²

Right final testicular weight(g)		Difference between the means of the groups	p-value¹
Groups		Difference between the means of the groups	p-value¹
I (1.2 ± 0.6)	IV (2.1 ± 0.2)	I - IV = -0.9	<0.001
II (1.5 ± 0.4)	IV (2.1 ± 0.2)	II - IV = -0.6	0.033
III (1.1 ± 0.5)	IV (2.1 ± 0.2)	III - IV = -1	<0.001

Classification according to Kolbe’s histological grading			Difference between the group means	p- value¹
	Groups		Difference between the group means	p- value¹
Right side	I (2.6 ± 0.8)	II (1.1 ± 0.7)	I - II = 1.5	0.001
		III (1.3 ± 1.1)	I - III = 1.3	0.005
		IV (0.1 ± 0.3)	I - IV = 2.5	<0.001
	II (1.1 ± 0.7)	IV (0.1 ± 0.3)	II - IV = 1.0	0.050
	III (1.3 ± 1.1)	IV (0.1 ± 0.3)	III - IV = 1.2	0.013
Left side	I (1.0 ± 0.0)	III (0.1 ± 0.3)	I - III = 0.9	<0.001
	I (1.0 ± 0.0)	IV (0.0 ± 0.0)	I - IV = 1.0	<0.001
	II (0.7 ± 0.5)	III (0.1 ± 0.3)	II - III = 0.6	<0.001
	II (0.7 ± 0.5)	IV (0.0 ± 0.0)	II - IV = 0.7	<0.001

Groups	Histological testicular necrosis
	Left side				p-value	Right side				p- value¹
	Yes		No			Yes		No
	n	%	n	%		n	%	n	%
I	0	0.0	10	100.0	-	5	50.0	5	50.0	0.005
II	0	0.0	10	100.0		0	0.0	10	100.0
III	0	0.0	10	100.0		4	40.0	6	60.0
IV	0	0.0	9	100.0		0	0.0	9	100.0

Characteristics	Groups	Sperm in the epididymal lumen
		Left side				p-value¹	Right side				p-value²
		Yes		No			Yes		No
		n	%	n	%		n	%	n	%
Reduction in intraluminal sperm	I	8	80.0	2	20.0	<0.001	9	90.0	1	10.0	<0.001
	II	6	60.0	4	40.0		10	100.0	0	0.0
	III	1	10.0	9	90.0		9	90.0	1	10.0
	IV	0	0.0	9	100.0		0	0.0	9	100.0
Abundance of intraluminal sperm	I	2	20.0	8	80.0	<0.001	0	0.0	10	100.0	<0.001
	II	4	40.0	6	60.0		0	0.0	10	100.0
	III	9	90.0	1	10.0		0	0.0	10	100.0
	IV	9	100.0	0	0.0		9	100.0	0	0.0
Absence of intraluminal sperm	I	0	0.0	10	100.0	-	1	10.0	9	90.0	1.000
	II	0	0.0	10	100.0		0	0.0	10	100.0
	III	0	0.0	10	100.0		1	10.0	9	90.0
	IV	0	0.0	9	100.0		0	0.0	9	100.0

			Groups		Difference between the groups means	p-value
Right side	Distal region	Luminal diameter (µm)	I (386.3 ± 70.3)	IV (486.1 ± 42.1)	I - IV = - 99.8	0.023²
			II (350.0 ± 90.5)	IV (486.1 ± 42.1)	II - IV = - 136.1	0.001²
			III (391.3 ± 73.4)	IV (486.1 ± 42.1)	III - IV = - 94.8	0.033²
		Muscle thickness (µm)	I (453.1 ± 96.8)	IV (386.8 ± 63.7)	I - IV = 66.3	0.006¹
Left side	Proximal region	Luminal diameter (µm)	I (570.0 ± 107.2)	II (400.0 ± 66.7)	I - II = 170	0.007²
	Proximal region	Luminal diameter (µm)	II (400.0 ± 66.7)	IV (555.6 ± 162.9)	II - IV = - 155.6	0.018²
	Distal region	Muscle thickness (µm)	I (460.6 ± 40.2)	II (380.0 ± 33.6)	I - II = 80.6	0.002²
	Distal region	Muscle thickness (µm)	I (460.6 ± 40.2)	IV (392.2 ± 28.8)	I - IV = 68.4	0.029²

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[1] Correspondence: Salomão Brêtas Rua Eugenio Netto, 488/703 29.055-270 Vitória - ES Brasil Tel.: (55 27)32277606 / 999826782 sbretas@gmail.com