Darren woke up with intense pain in his scrotum one night. It
felt swollen on the left side. He was a little embarrassed, so
he didn't wake his parents up at first. When the pain didn't go
away after an hour, though, Darren woke his father and they
called a doctor. The doctor listened to Darren's description of
his symptoms, then told him that he probably had a condition
called testicular torsion and needed to get to the emergency
room right away. Darren's parents took him to the hospital, and
he was rushed into an operating room. What Is Testicular
Torsion? Testicular torsion, or testis torsion, is an emergency
condition. It happens when the spermatic cord, which provides
blood flow to the testicle, rotates and becomes twisted. The
twisting cuts off the testicle's blood supply and causes sudden
pain and swelling. Testicular torsion requires immediate surgery
to save the testicle. If testicular torsion goes on for more
than a few hours, it can permanently damage the testicle, and a
damaged testicle must be re