On August 25, Children's Hospital 2 said it had just performed emergency surgery for a boy over 10 years old who had a ruptured testicle after being kicked in the intimate area.
The case makes many parents with sons worried about vaginal injuries that may occur in daily life, play and exercise.
According to doctors, some initial injuries may only manifest as pain and swelling, but if treated slowly, there is a risk of affecting testicular function. So what signs should be especially noted and how should parents handle them when children have accidents?
The two testicles are located in the scrotum, outside the body, so they are easily damaged when this area is under strong impact. When a direct impact occurs on the scrotum, patients need to go to a medical facility specializing in Andrology or Urology for examination, especially if prolonged pain appears after the injury.
Testicular rupture is a rare but dangerous injury, occurring when the protective layer surrounding the testicle is torn, causing internal parenchyma to escape. If not detected and treated promptly, the injury can lead to testicular atrophy or loss, impaired hormone production function and affect fertility.
According to Dr. Nguyen Cong Minh, Center for Reproductive Support, Tam Anh General Hospital HCMC, severe sharp pain in the testicles and scrotum immediately after the injury is one of the common signs when the testicles are severely damaged. The pain can last or increase if not treated.
Patients may also experience swelling, bruising in the scrotum, deformed scrotum, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, painful urination or bloody urination.
This is a condition that needs emergency treatment. Patients should not self-treat or wait for symptoms to resolve on their own, especially when severe pain persists, the scrotum swells rapidly, bruises appear, or blood appears in the urine. Early intervention helps increase the ability to preserve the testicles and limit effects on later function.
For children, BS.CKI Nguyen Thi Kim Nga, Department of Urology, Children's Hospital 2, noted that external manifestations do not always reflect the level of internal damage.
After a child is kicked, falls, bumps while playing sports or bears direct pressure on the genital area, parents need to pay attention if the child has prolonged or gradually increasing pelvic pain, one testicle is larger than the other, pain is a lot when touched, nausea or vomiting accompanied by pelvic pain.
Children who are uncomfortable walking, often hug or avoid the scrotum area, or have any abnormal changes in the genital area after injury also need to be taken to the doctor.
Especially, even when the scrotum is almost not swollen or bruised, the child still has prolonged pain, parents should not be subjective.
According to Dr. Kim Nga, older children and teenagers are sometimes hesitant to talk to their parents about vaginal injuries or try to endure pain out of shame. This can delay examinations, reducing early treatment opportunities.
Color Doppler ultrasound helps assess the structure and blood circulation of the testicles. However, in cases of suspected severe injury, doctors need to combine the injury mechanism, progression of symptoms, clinical examination and imaging to provide treatment directions," said Dr. Kim Nga.
When determining testicular rupture or high suspicion even though the ultrasound image cannot be definitively concluded, exploratory surgery may be indicated to assess the lesion and maximally preserve the surviving testicular parenchyma.
