eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Genitourinary

Orchitis: Follow-up

Author: Mark B Mycyk, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 9, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Supportive therapy
    • Bed rest
    • Scrotal support
    • Warm or cold packs for comfort
    • Analgesics
  • Patients with a suspected sexually transmitted disease should be referred to their private physician or local health department for HIV testing.

Complications

  • Up to 60% of affected testes demonstrate some degree of testicular atrophy.
  • Impaired fertility is reported at a rate of 7-13%.
  • Sterility is rare in cases of unilateral orchitis.
  • An associated hydrocele or pyocele may require surgical drainage to relieve pressure from the tunica.

Prognosis

  • Most cases of mumps orchitis resolve spontaneously in 3-10 days.
  • With appropriate antibiotic coverage, most cases of bacterial orchitis resolve without complication.

Patient Education

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • ED physicians must be certain that a patient presenting with acute testicular pain and edema does not have testicular torsion.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Peter Moyer, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Orchitis

Overview: Orchitis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Orchitis
Treatment & Medication: Orchitis
Follow-up: Orchitis
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

orchitis, viral orchitis, bacterial orchitis, epididymo-orchitis, mumps orchitis, testicular pain, testicular swelling, inflammation of the testis, viral mumps infection, epididymitis, testicular atrophy, benign prostatic hypertrophy, BPH, parotitis, testicular edema

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Mark B Mycyk, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
Mark B Mycyk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Medical Toxicology, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP, Attending Emergency Physician, Georgia Emergency Medicine Specialists; Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Athens Regional Medical Center
Eric M Kardon, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Richard H Sinert, DO, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Research Director, State University of New York College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital Center
Richard H Sinert, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Erik D Schraga, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mills-Peninsula Emergency Medical Associates; Consulting Staff, Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara Medical Center
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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