N44.0

Clinical Information

• An emergency condition caused by the twisting of the spermatic cord which contains the vessels that provide the blood supply to the testis and surrounding structures. It manifests with acute testicular pain. If immediate medical assistance is not provided, it will lead to necrosis and loss of the testicular tissue.

• The twisting of the spermatic cord due to an anatomical abnormality that left the testis mobile and dangling in the scrotum. The initial effect of testicular torsion is obstruction of venous return. Depending on the duration and degree of cord rotation, testicular symptoms range from edema to interrupted arterial flow and testicular pain. If blood flow to testis is absent for 4 to 6 h, spermatogenesis may be permanently lost.

Details

• N44.0 should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.

• The 2023 edition of ICD-10-CM N44.0 became effective on October 1, 2022.

• This is the American ICD-10-CM version of N44.0 – other international versions of ICD-10 N44.0 may differ.