Did COVID-19 Affect Time to Presentation in the Setting of Pediatric Testicular Torsion?

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Annalise R. Littman, Emory University; Karmon M. Janssen, Emory University; Li Tong, Georgia Institute of Technology; Hang Wu, Georgia Institute of Technology; Dongmei Wang, Emory University; Emily Blum, Emory University; Andrew Kirsch, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-02-01
• Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PEC.0000000000002333
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Pediatric Emergency Care
• Volume: 37
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 123
• End Page: 125
• Grant/Funding Information: None declared
• Keywords: testicular torsion; Emergency Medicine; COVID-19; coronavirus; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Pediatrics; urology; Science & Technology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Health Sciences, Health Care Management

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if boys with acute testicular torsion, a surgical emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment to optimize salvage of the testicle, delayed presentation to a medical facility and experienced an extended duration of symptoms (DoS), and secondarily, a higher rate of orchiectomy, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Single-center, descriptive retrospective chart review of boys presenting with acute testicular torsion from March 15, to May 4, 2020 ("during COVID-19"or group 2), as well as for the same time window in the 5-year period from 2015 to 2019 ("pre-COVID-19"or group 1). Results: A total of 78 boys met inclusion criteria, group 1 (n = 57) and group 2 (n = 21). The mean age was 12.86 ± 2.63 (group 1) and 12.86 ± 2.13 (group 2). Mean DoS before presentation at a medical facility was 23.2 ± 35.0 hours in group 1 compared with 21.3 ± 29.7 hours in group 2 (P < 0.37). When DoS was broken down into acute (<24 hours) versus delayed (≥24 hours), 41 (71.9%) of 57 boys in group 1 and 16 (76.2%) of 21 boys in group 2 presented within less than 24 hours of symptom onset (P < 0.78). There was no difference in rate of orchiectomy between group 1 and group 2 (44.7% vs 25%, P < 0.17), respectively. Conclusions: Boys with acute testicular torsion in our catchment area did not delay presentation to a medical facility from March 15, to May 4, 2020, and did not subsequently undergo a higher rate of orchiectomy.