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The following is a summary of “Experiences and perceptions of acute testicular pain, with a focus on reasons for delayed presentation to hospital: a qualitative evidence synthesis,” published in the November 2024 issue of Emergency Medicine by Anderson et al. 

Despite a high rate of testicular salvage with timely surgical intervention, delays in diagnosis and treatment of testicular torsion led to orchidectomy.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to synthesize existing evidence to understand the factors leading to delayed presentation to hospitals in individuals with acute scrotal pain.  

They searched literature with the help of an information scientist, 2 authors independently screened articles, extracted data, and performed inductive thematic synthesis, resolving disagreements through discussion and used the ConQual approach for assessing confidence.  

The results showed that among 1,251 unique articles screened, only 5 were eligible for inclusion, all stemming from 2 PhD projects. The synthesis of these articles revealed 5 descriptive themes with 5 subthemes.   

Investigators concluded a lack of knowledge about testicular anatomy and health, related with communication barriers, were the important factors contributing to delayed presentation in acute scrotal pain. 

Source: emj.bmj.com/content/early/2024/11/07/emermed-2024-214125