Last updated on October 8, 2020
Question:
What’s the risk of living with a dead testicle?
Answer:
A testicle may die because of torsion, disease, or trauma that is not quickly treated. The primary concern is that gangrene might set in the dead testicle, so it is typically removed. However, there are many men with a dead testicle who never had it removed and had no complications. You should discuss the risks with your doctor.
Question:
Thanks a lot Jeffrey.
I had a subacute testicular torsion according to an ultrasound report. One of the doctors said that once a testicle is dead the body will detect it as a foreign matter and begin to send antibodies to fight it. In the process, it will also fight the normal testicle rendering it infertile. I am scared of surgery. Please, how true is this? I want to carry out a fertility test as well. I am disturbed.
Answer:
“Only one working testicle is needed for normal fertility and male features. A single testicle can make normal amounts of sperm and testosterone. But studies show that up to one third of patients have a lower sperm count after a torsion. Testicular torsion can also result in anti-sperm antibodies, which may change how the sperm work and move. Some studies suggest that these men could have lower fertility, but this is rare” [http://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/testicular-torsion/printable-version].
It happens, but it doesn’t happen to every man. The surgery to remove the non-functioning testicle is relatively minor. Fear of the surgery should not be a reason not to have it done.