Cirsolen

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Cirsolen greci appellant ramicem testiculorum Cornelius celsus.


Apparatus:

Cirsolen AC f | Chirsolen B | Cyrsolem e

testiculoruʒ e | testiculorum ABC | intesticlorum f


Translation:

Cirsolen is the name the Greeks give to an enlargement of the veins in the testicles according to Cornelius Celsus.


Commentary:

Simon is referring to Celsus, 7, 18, 9, ed. Spencer (1935-8). Chapter 18 deals with the afflictions quae naturalibus partibus circa testiculos oriri solent "which tend to occur in the genital parts around the testicles". In § 9, p.396, he says: Praeter haec aeque integris tunicis ramex innascuntur: crisocelen Graeci appellant . Venae intumescunt, eaeque intortae conglomerataeque a superiore parte vel ipsum scrotum inplent vel mediam tunicam vel imam…, which W.G. Spencer, the editor and translator of the edition in question, translates, p.397: "Besides the above a varicose affection which the Greeks call cirsocele occurs, in which also the membranes are intact. The veins become swollen, and when twisted, and massed together at the upper part, they distend the scrotum generally, or the middle or the inner covering."

The expected transcription would be *cirsocele, acc. cirsocelen. Simon uses the accusative form Cirsolen < κιρσοκήλη /kirsokḗlēn/ dependent on appellant. κιρσοκήλη /kirsokḗlē/ means "varicocele", a term that also occurs in Galen. It is a compound of κίρσος, /kírsos/ "enlargement of a vein, varicocele" + κήλη, /kḗlē/ "tumour, esp. rupture, hernia".


Medical remarks

Celsus is describing a common condition, where varicose veins occur around the testes. Blood is drained away from the testis through a network or plexus of veins, the pampiniform {i.e. "curled like a vine-tendril"} venous plexus, located within the spermatic cord. To ensure upward flow from the testis one-way valves prevent any backflow. However, if these valves do not work properly and backflow occurs, the veins become elongated and enlarged by the build up of blood, a condition called varicocele. Secondary varicocele can have other causes like compression of the relevant veins through growths or structures in the vicinity. The condition leads ultimately to swelling of the scrotum and an increase in temperature. For further medical information see [[1]].

WilfGunther 13:09, 29 July 2014 (BST)


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