A Torted Ruptured Intra-abdominal Testicular Seminoma Presenting As An Acute Abdomen

Abstract

The susceptibility of the undescended testis to malignant transformation is well documented. The most common location of the undescended testis is within the inguinal canal, with only a minority located within the abdominal cavity. When a testicular mass develops, the risk of torsion increases. We describe a large intra-abdominal testicular seminoma that had undergone torsion, rupture and haemorrhage, presenting as an acute abdomen. A 30 year old man presented to the emergency department with right iliac fossa pain. Computed tomography in the emergency department showed haemoperitoneum and a torted large left testicular mass, likely malignant. The patient underwent laparotomy and excision of the mass. Histologic examination revealed a grossly enlarged seminomatous testis which had torted and ruptured. While pre-operative imaging diagnosis of an intra-abdominal testicular seminoma has been published, reports are few. To the best of the author's knowledge pre-operative imaging diagnosis of a malignant testicular mass with torsion and intra-abdominal haemorrhage presenting as an acute abdomen has not been described before.