Desipramine* Testicular retraction: first report

Depression refractory to amitriptyline progressed in a 44-year-old man to the point where he required hospitalisation. Past history was unremarkable, apart from a hypospadias repair and right inguinal herniorrhaphy at ages 7 and 9, respectively.

Desipramine therapy was instituted (25 mg/day) and was increased to 150 mg/day after 2 weeks. He improved markedly, such that after 9 days of treatment he was discharged.

After approximately 3 weeks of therapy, the patient began to experience a burning sensation on ejaculation which was accompanied by painful left testicular retraction This continued and caused the patient to reduce his sexual activity.

The mechanism of this phenomenon is unclear but may have been related to the patient's past history of inguinal hernia. Sorvlno AR Ameflcan Journal of Psychiatry 143· 682683. May 1986

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