Assessment of acute scrotal symptoms and findings. A clinician's dilemma.

Diagnosis of testis torsion relies on the clinical wisdom of the examining physician, supplemented with timely imaging techniques by color Doppler examination or scintigraphy. A knowledge of the pathophysiology of acute scrotal conditions can help to eliminate diagnostic errors but the literature demonstrates that errors can occur even with sophisticated testing. Data from the literature suggests that manual detorsion of the testis can successfully relieve ischemia until surgical correction can eliminate the possibility of testis torsion. Surgical therapy has progressively improved and can save the germinal function of the testis.