Outlook

If a patient has testicular torsion, the prognosis and recovery depends on the time elapsed between the symptom onset and medical intervention. The chance of salvaging the testicle decreases as more time passes.

• If surgery occurs within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms, the rate of salvaging the testicle nears 100%.

• Between 6-12 hours, the rate is 70%.

• Between 12-24 hours, the rate is 20%.

• After 24 hours, the saving rate approaches 0%.

If a patient has epididymitis, he will generally recover without complications if he is treated with antibiotics. However, the patient may experience complications, such as an abscess (a localized collection of pus), if you go without treatment or if he has one of the following conditions:

• weakened immune systems (for example, HIV/AIDS, cancer, taking steroids);

• sepsis;

• if the patient has torsion of a testicular appendage, he will nearly always recover without complications;

• if the patient has orchitis, most cases will resolve without complications. Mumps orchitis usually resolves within 3-10 days;

• if the patient has a testicular tumor, the prognosis depends on the type of tumor.