Morphological variability of the testicular arteries and clinical significance - a comprehensive review.

The testicular artery is the vessel that provides oxygen-rich blood to the testes. It is also involved in many more processes that play important roles in spermatogenesis such as thermoregulation. As the vessel has a number of anatomical variants, it may be often responsible for difficulties and complications during abdominopelvic surgical procedures. The main aim of the present study is to provide a comprehensive review of literature regarding the anatomical variants of the testicular arteries, focusing not only on their origins but also on the course and number of vessels. It also provides a short review of pathological conditions related to the testicular artery such as aneurysms or testicular torsion and has special value for general surgeons and urologists.