Anxious Patients with Benign Scrotal Symptoms Achieve Excellent Reassurance from Imaging in a One-Stop Clinic

Abstract

Objective:

Testicular cancer is rare but anxiety about this possible diagnosis is common among men with scrotal symptoms. We prospectively evaluated patient reassurance and satisfaction provided by a dedicated one-stop testicular assessment clinic.

Patients and Methods:

100 patients reporting scrotal symptoms attended the clinic and received a standardised clinical assessment, examination and scrotal ultrasound scan. At the end of the consultation patients completed a validated satisfaction, anxiety and reassurance questionnaire.

Results:

Overall patients were moderately anxious about their diagnosis (mean anxiety score 5/10) and 31% were highly anxious (anxiety score >7/10). Reassurance from the clinic was high with 90% expressing reassurance scores of 9/10 or greater and 96% expressing a satisfaction score of 9/10 or greater. Increased general anxiety predicted anxiety about the testicular diagnosis; however, when stratified by anxiety, the clinic was able to reassure men regardless of their baseline anxiety. Reassurance by the clinic appeared superior to primary care.

Conclusion:

These findings confirm anxiety is fairly common among men with testicular symptoms and a dedicated specialist one-stop testicular clinic provides a very high level of reassurance and satisfaction for these men.