The testicular sizes of 305 men were measured by a recently developed orchidometer and related to 9 other known parameters of testicular function. Mean testicular size had the strongest correlation with serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels, total sperm count and sperm concentration, while a significant correlation also was noted with sperm motility, percentage of live sperm, sperm morphology (normal and immature forms), and serum luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels. Sperm quantity had stronger correlations with testicular size than did sperm quality, although both were impaired in testes smaller than 14 ml. It is concluded that the size of the testis bears a direct correlation with testicular function and, thus, it can be helpful to assess rapidly andrological status during the initial physical examination.

Prepubertal rats were exposed to unilateral spermatic cord torsion for 0, 1, 3, 5, 9 or 12 hours duration. At the end of this time the damaged testes were either removed or untwisted and pexed into place. The animals were then allowed to mature to 77 days of age at which time the contralateral testes were examined for 12 histological parameters and scored according to the degree of pathology noted in each. Pathological changes in the contralateral testes were found to be dependent on the duration of spermatic cord torsion but were less severe in the orchiectomized group. Thus, removal of the damaged organ minimized the long-term damage to the contralateral testes. We also noted that specific histological parameters of the contralateral testes correlated well with fertility and that specific changes in the ipsilateral testes predicted contralateral pathology.

Sixty prepubertal rats were subjected to unilateral spermatic cord torsion for a duration of 0, 1, 3, 5, 9 or 12 hours. At the end of this period, the ipsilateral testes either were removed for immediate processing or subjected to detorsion and orchiopexy, followed by a six-week recovery period prior to histologic study. Twelve histologic parameters were each scored according to the degree of pathologic findings, thus allowing for a quantitative assessment of testicular damage. The sequence of specific histologic degeneration that occurred with spermatic cord torsion is described. These changes were found to be dependent on the duration of torsion, with the greatest damage occurring after three hours or more. In the animals undergoing detorsion followed by a six-week recovery period, severe degeneration was noted for all durations of torsion studied. The extent of this degeneration was significantly correlated with a reduction in fertility.

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