Microsurgical Spermatic Cord Denervation as a Treatment for Chronic Scrotal Content Pain: A Multicenter Open Label Trial

Abstract

Purpose: We prospectively evaluated the results of microsurgical spermatic cord denervation in a series of patients with chronic scrotal content pain in a multicenter study, including 1 center in Germany and 3 centers in Chile.

Materials and Methods: A total of 50 patients with chronic scrotal content pain more than 3 months in duration were prospectively selected for standardized operative microsurgical spermatic cord denervation as pain treatment. In all patients preoperative management included a positive response to a spermatic cord block test with local anesthesia. Pain severity was assessed using an analog visual pain scale (range 0 to 10) for 30 consecutive days. A total of 52 testicular units were operated on using a subinguinal approach. In all cases a surgical microscope was used to identify the arteria testicularis.

Results: No intraoperative complications were observed and no testicular units were lost. Two reoperations were performed, including 1 for hematocele and 1 for hydrocele. Six months after surgery 40 patients (80%) were completely pain-free. In 6 patients (12%) intermittent testicular discomfort persisted, which could be managed by acetaminophen on demand. Four patients (8%) had no change in pain severity after surgery.

Conclusions: After proper selection of patients microsurgical spermatic cord denervation seems to be a safe and efficient procedure to treat chronic scrotal content pain. Considering the limitations of the study, a randomized, controlled trial with longer followup is highly warranted.