If you were tasked with implanting silicone gel testicular prostheses in a beagle dog, which would be the more effective procedure, “under the tunica albuginea” or “under the tunica vaginalis”?
Tong-li Hao (Department of Urology, General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing, China) and
Peng Chen (Department of Electromagnetics and Laser Biology, Radiation Medicine Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, China) recently performed a study to find out. For background, the team remind us that :
“Implantation of testis prosthesis under the tunica albuginea has been considered to be the standard method in the most of the reports. However, postoperative scrotal appearance, the mobilization and the palpitation of the prosthesis are not always satisfactory to all the patients.”
Their comparative experimental tests with nine beagles indicated :
“Prostheses implanted under the tunica vaginalis showed a more satisfying mobilization and palpation than those implanted under the tunica albuginea.”
But noting however :
“… in 7 out of the 9 dogs, prostheses in the left scrotum were found to be slightly asymmetric to and hanged higher than that in the right. As for the palpation, the prosthesis in the left scrotum seemed to be more rigid than that in the right.”
Fortunately for all concerned though, and as may perhaps be expected, subsequent evaluations of the implants showed that –
“… all the tested animals lived uneventful lives during the follow-up period …“
Comparative experimental re-evaluation of the two implanting methods of silicone gel testicular prostheses in beagle dogs is published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Research Notes 2011, 4:99
Also of note:
The 2005 Ig Nobel prize for medicine was awarded to Gregg A. Miller of Oak Grove, Missouri, for inventing Neuticles — artificial replacement testicles for dogs, which are available in three sizes, and three degrees of firmness.