Testis & paratestis
Nonneoplastic lesions
Epididymitis
Author: Rafael E. Jimenez, M.D., M.H.A.
Last author update: 1 March 2012
Last staff update: 9 September 2020
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Epididymitis [title]
Cite this page: Jimenez R. Epididymitis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/testisepididymitis.html. Accessed December 26th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Primary cause of epididymal obstruction
- Usually related to cystitis, prostatitis or urethritis that spreads through vas deferens or lymphatics
- May cause testicular ischemia and necrosis, later scarring and infertility with preservation of Leydig cells and preserved sexual activity
- Acute disease: epididymis enlarged, covered with fibrin, may contain pus and rupture
- Brucellosis: affects testis and epididymis in 20% of cases; has granulomatous appearance
- Gonorrhea: affects epididymis before testis
- Tuberculosis: may cause confluent caseation that spreads into testis and simulates malignancy; may cause scrotal fistula; should culture to rule out M. kansasii and M. avium-intracellulare
- Children: usually gram negative rods, congenital genitourinary abnormality
- Sexually active men age 35 or less: Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Men age 35+: E. coli, Pseudomonas and other urinary tract infection organisms
Microscopic (histologic) images
Contributed by Veena Maheshwar, M.D., Kiran Alam, M.D., Anshu Jain, M.D.
25 year old man with epididymal mass: filiarial epididymitis
