Feasibility of using near-infrared spectroscopy to diagnose testicular torsion: an experimental study in sheep.

Study Objective: To assess whether near-infrared spectroscopy can detect testicular hypoxia in a sheep model of testicular torsion within 6 hours of experimental torsion.

Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, nonblinded study. Trans-scrotal, near-infrared, spectroscopy-derived testicular tissue saturation of oxygen values were obtained from the posterior hemiscrota of 6 anesthetized sheep at baseline and every 15 minutes for 6 hours after either experimental-side, 720-degree, unilateral, medial testicular torsion and orchidopexy or control-side sham procedure with orchidopexy and then for 75 minutes after reduction of torsion and pexy.