Testicular cavernous hemangioma associated with testicular torsion – case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION: Testicular neoplasms that are derived from connective tissue, blood vessels and musculature are uncommon and intra-testicular tumors of vascular origin are extremely rare; both are benign in nature. Testicular hemangioma is exceedingly rare and typically occurs in patients younger than 20 years, the age in which a primary germ cell tumor of the testis may present, necessitating a radical approach to management with orchidectomy, although potential conservative focal partial surgical excision is desirable. Hemangiomas of the testis have a similar sonographic and magnetic resonance imaging appearance to that of malignant tumors of the testis, especially seminoma. The work has been reported in line with the SCARE criteria. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a case of testicular torsion in a 15-year-old male patient who had a painful left testis for 6 days, no vomiting, no fever or dysuria. With clinical suspicion of an old testicular torsion the patient was examined by ultrasound which confirmed the clinical diagnosis. The patient underwent emergency surgical exploration. The left testis was found to be necrotic after a 360° testicular torsion and an orchiectomy was performed. RESULTS: The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient was discharged on day 4 after surgery. Histology showed a complete ischemic infarction of the testicular parenchyma as part of a ruptured intratesticular cavernous hemangioma. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Cavernous hemangioma is a rare tumor of the testicle in either childhood or adult period. The particularity of the presented case is the possible association of a cavernous intratesticular hemangioma with the torsion of the testis in a teenager. Clinicians and pathologists must be aware of the rare entity of testicular hemangiomas, as clinical examination and imaging studies do not often suffice to arrive at a correct diagnosis.