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Canadian Family Physician Medecin de... Sep 1987Vasectomy is done by a family physician at the family planning clinic of le Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval. The technique used combines an occlusion with...
Vasectomy is done by a family physician at the family planning clinic of le Centre Hospitalier de l'Université Laval. The technique used combines an occlusion with metal clips and an excision of one to two centimetres of the vas deferens. The post-operative complications encountered with 304 vasectomies were hematomas (4%), infections of the scotal skin (1%), orchi-epididymitis (1%) and granulomas (1%). All these problems were treated on an out-patient basis, and no consultation with specialists was required. Of 151 patients who came back for a post-vasectomy semen examination, one had a test result showing motile spermatozoa. These figures are comparable to other results published. The family physician can easily incorporate this simple and safe procedure into his practice.
PubMed: 21263976
DOI: No ID Found -
Fertility and Sterility May 2000To recommend further research on vasectomy based on a systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of vasectomy. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To recommend further research on vasectomy based on a systematic review of the effectiveness and safety of vasectomy.
DESIGN
A systematic MEDLINE review of the literature on the safety and effectiveness of vasectomy between 1964 and 1998.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Early failure rates are <1%; however, effectiveness and complications vary with experience of surgeons and surgical technique. Early complications, including hematoma, infection, sperm granulomas, epididymitis-orchitis, and congestive epididymitis, occur in 1%-6% of men undergoing vasectomy. Incidence of epididymal pain is poorly documented. Animal and human data indicate that vasectomy does not increase atherosclerosis and that increases in circulating immune complexes after vasectomy are transient in men with vasectomies. The weight of the evidence regarding prostate and testicular cancer suggests that men with vasectomy are not at increased risk of these cancers.
CONCLUSION(S)
Publications to date continue to support the conclusion that vasectomy is a highly effective form of contraception. Future studies should include evaluations of the long-term effectiveness of vasectomy, evaluating criteria for postvasectomy discontinuation of alternative contraception for use in settings where semen analysis is not practical, and characterizing complications including chronic epididymal pain syndrome.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Contraindications; Counseling; Humans; MEDLINE; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms; Testicular Neoplasms; United States; Vasectomy; Vasovasostomy
PubMed: 10785217
DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(00)00482-9 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Occludin (OCLN) is a tight junction protein and Ocln deletion mutation causes male infertility in mice. However, the role of OCLN in male reproductive system remains...
Occludin (OCLN) is a tight junction protein and Ocln deletion mutation causes male infertility in mice. However, the role of OCLN in male reproductive system remains unknown. In this study, we used an interdisciplinary approach to elucidate the underlying mechanism of male infertility in related to OCLN function, including knockout mice as well as a combined omics analysis and immunofluorescent labelling. Our results showed that the epididymis of -null mice displayed a phenomenon resembling epididymal sperm granuloma, which occurred especially in the junctional region between caput and corpus epididymidis. Sperm motility and fertilisation capacity were also impaired in these -null mice, accompanied by enlarged tubules in the proximal regions and degeneration in the distal regions of epididymis. Cellular localization analysis showed that OCLN immunofluorescence was enriched only in the apical junction of epithelial principal cells in the proximal regions of epididymis. Integrative omics analysis revealed the downregulation of gene clusters enriched in acid secretion and fatty acid metabolism in the -null epididymis, especially the enzymes related to the unsaturated arachidonic acid pathway. The number of proton-pump V-ATPase-expression clear cells, a key player of luminal acidification in the epididymis, declined drastically from prepubertal age before sperm arrival but not in the early postnatal age. This was accompanied by programmed cell death of clear cells and increased pH in the epididymal fluid of OCLN-deficient mice. The lipidomics results showed significantly increased levels of specific DAGs conjugated to unsaturated fatty acids in the Ocln-mutant. Immunofluorescent labelling showed that the arachidonic acid converting enzyme PTGDS and phospholipase PLA2g12a were prominently altered in the principal cells and luminal contents of the -mutant epididymis. Whereas the carboxylate ester lipase CES1, originally enriched in the WT basal cells, was found upregulated in the -mutant principal cells. Overall, this study demonstrates that OCLN is essential for maintaining caput-to-corpus epithelial integrity, survival of acid-secreting clear cells, and unsaturated fatty acid catabolism in the mouse epididymis, thereby ensuring sperm maturation and male fertility.
Topics: Animals; Male; Mice; Arachidonic Acids; Epididymis; Infertility, Male; Lipid Metabolism; Mice, Knockout; Occludin; Semen; Sperm Motility
PubMed: 36518247
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1069319 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2019Male meiotic germ cell including the spermatozoa represent a great challenge to the immune system, as they appear long after the establishment of normal immune tolerance...
Male meiotic germ cell including the spermatozoa represent a great challenge to the immune system, as they appear long after the establishment of normal immune tolerance mechanisms. The capacity of the testes to tolerate autoantigenic germ cells as well as survival of allogeneic organ engrafted in the testicular interstitium have led to consider the testis an immunologically privileged site. Disruption of this immune privilege following trauma, tumor, or autoimmune orchitis often results in male infertility. Strong evidence indicates that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) has been implicated in fetal and allograft tolerance, tumor immune resistance, and regulation of autoimmune diseases. IDO and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) catalyze the same rate-limiting step of tryptophan metabolism along a common pathway, which leads to tryptophan starvation and generation of catabolites collectively known as kynurenines. However, the relevance of tryptophan metabolism in testis pathophysiology has not yet been explored. Here we assessed the in vivo role of IDO/TDO in experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO), a model of autoimmune testicular inflammation and immunologically impaired spermatogenesis. EAO was induced in adult Wistar rats with testicular homogenate and adjuvants. Control (C) rats injected with saline and adjuvants and normal untreated rats (N) were also studied. mRNA expression of IDO decreased in whole testes and in isolated Sertoli cells during EAO. TDO and IDO localization and level of expression in the testis were analyzed by immunostaining and Western blot. TDO is expressed in granulomas from EAO rats, and similar protein levels were observed in N, C, and EAO groups. IDO was detected in mononuclear and endothelial cells and reduced IDO expression was detected in EAO group compared to N and C rats. This phenomenon was concomitant with a significant reduction of IDO activity in EAO testis measured by tryptophan and kynurenine concentrations (HPLC). Finally, in vivo inhibition of IDO with 1-methyl-tryptophan increased severity of the disease, demonstrating down regulation of IDO-based tolerance when testicular immune regulation was disrupted. We present evidence that an IDO-based mechanism is involved in testicular immune privilege.
Topics: Animals; Autoimmune Diseases; Disease Models, Animal; Epididymis; Immune Privilege; Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase; Kynurenine; Lymph Nodes; Male; Orchitis; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sertoli Cells; Severity of Illness Index; Testis; Tryptophan; Tryptophan Oxygenase
PubMed: 31685866
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52192-8 -
Laboratory Animal Research Mar 2018C57BL/6N mice are inbred strains widely used in biomedical research. Hence, a large amount of basic data has been accumulated. However, in the field of histopathology,...
C57BL/6N mice are inbred strains widely used in biomedical research. Hence, a large amount of basic data has been accumulated. However, in the field of histopathology, spontaneous data for relatively younger mice that are used more frequently are not yet abundant, in contrast to data for older mice and their neoplastic lesions. To acquire the essential background data required by various research and toxicological assessments, 120 mice of the C57BL/6N strain (10 and 13 weeks of age) were collected from two institutions (From Korea and Japan) and subjected to histopathological analyses of the major organs (liver, spleen, kidney, thymus, heart, testis, epididymis). The results showed significantly higher incidence of sperm granulomas in the epididymides (10-56%) of these mice, compared with that in other strains or species of lab animals. Upon closer inspection, oligospermia/clear cell hyperplasia, cellular debris, and tubular vacuolation were also observed in the epididymides with sperm granulomas. Moreover, diseased organs were significantly heavier than healthy ones. Immunohistochemical staining showed a significant increase in the chromatic figures of cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases-3 (caspase-3) and cleaved-poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (c-PARP), and damages to the tubule due to spontaneous apoptosis, which may have led to the sperms leaking out of the tubule, causing the granuloma. To conclude, spontaneous sperm granuloma can occur in 10- and 13-week-old C57BL/6N mice and may thus affect the results of various studies using these mice. Therefore, sperm granuloma in epididymis needs to be carefully considered as an important factor when design the study using C57BL/6N.
PubMed: 29628973
DOI: 10.5625/lar.2018.34.1.20 -
Fertility and Sterility Nov 1979The presence of a sperm granuloma at the vasectomy site prevents epididymal pressure build-up, perforation, and the formation of an epididymal sperm granuloma. It thus...
The presence of a sperm granuloma at the vasectomy site prevents epididymal pressure build-up, perforation, and the formation of an epididymal sperm granuloma. It thus enhances reversibility of the vasectomy and lessens the likelihood of epididymal discomfort. In two prospective vasectomy series, a sperm granuloma was intentionally allowed to form by not sealing the testicular end of the vas. The sperm granuloma resulted in no instance of orchialgia, but created a greater risk of spontaneous recanalization. This latter problem could only be solved by more careful sealing of the upper end of the vas. In a separate series of nine patients vasectomized elsewhere and specifically referred to us for chronic and persistent postvasectomy orchialgia, seven had no sperm granuloma at the vasectomy site. Pain in these cases was localized in the epididymis and was relieved by vasovasotomy. Any technique of vasectomy carries a very small risk of orchialgia, whether due to the presence of a sperm granuloma at the vasectomy site or to increased epididymal pressure.
Topics: Canada; Granuloma; Humans; Male; Missouri; Pain; Spermatozoa; Testis; Vasectomy
PubMed: 499585
DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)44357-8 -
Molecular Human Reproduction Aug 2022Vasectomy is a widely used surgical technique creating an obstructive azoospermia. Although sperm cannot be ejaculated, the testis maintains sperm production in...
Vasectomy is a widely used surgical technique creating an obstructive azoospermia. Although sperm cannot be ejaculated, the testis maintains sperm production in vasectomized males. The continuous accumulation of sperm deposited in the epididymis and the vas deferens fraction necessarily need to be degraded and eliminated. While the elimination process is carried out by granulomas that form after vasectomy, the detailed mechanisms of sperm degradation are still not known. The aim was to assess whether sperm chromatin fragmentation (SCF), a mechanism that degrades the entire sperm genome at the toroid linker regions (TLRs), is activated after vasectomy in sperm cells. We vasectomized mice and evaluated the presence of TLR-specific double-strand breaks through pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and the Comet assay at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after surgery. Results for DNA damage (Olive tail moment) at single-cell level showed an increase of double-strand breaks after vasectomy for vas deferens sperm after 1, 2 and 3 weeks postvasectomy (21.78 ± 2.29; 19.71 ± 1.79 and 32.59 ± 1.81, respectively), compared to mock surgery (7.04 ± 1.03; 10.10 ± 1.29 and 8.64 ± 0.85, respectively; P < 0.001). Similar findings were obtained for cauda epididymis sperm (P < 0.001), but not for caput epididymis (P > 0.05). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed the presence of double-stranded breaks between 15 and 145 kb, indicating that DNA breaks were produced mainly in the sperm TLRs. Results presented here suggest that SCF is a mechanism activated in vas deferens after vasectomy to degrade sperm DNA when they cannot be ejaculated, preventing their function.
Topics: Animals; Chromatin; DNA; DNA Breaks; Epididymis; Male; Mice; Semen; Spermatozoa; Vas Deferens; Vasectomy
PubMed: 35929777
DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaac029 -
IJU Case Reports Jan 2020Sarcoidosis is a disease in which noncaseating granulomas form in several organs, particularly in the lungs and skin. Male genitourinary involvement in sarcoidosis is...
INTRODUCTION
Sarcoidosis is a disease in which noncaseating granulomas form in several organs, particularly in the lungs and skin. Male genitourinary involvement in sarcoidosis is uncommon.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 32-year-old male with painless bilateral scrotal swelling who was diagnosed with lung sarcoidosis presented to our hospital. Serum tumor marker levels were normal. Scattered hypoechoic mass lesions in both testes were noted on ultrasound examination. Biopsy of both testes revealed pathologically noncaseating epithelioid cell granuloma, and perihilar lymphadenopathy and a granulomatous lung nodule were found on chest computed tomography. Semen examination was performed after the biopsy, demonstrating oligospermia. A corticosteroid regimen was administered. After treatment, no abnormal accumulation in both testes was observed on gallium-67 scintigraphy, and semen examination demonstrated the mild improvement of the sperm count.
CONCLUSION
Treatments for testicular sarcoidosis vary, and malignancy and fertility must be considered.
PubMed: 32743456
DOI: 10.1002/iju5.12124 -
Asian Journal of Andrology 2016By utilizing the rabbit model, previous studies have found good evidence indicating that vasectomy-induced spermatogenic damage is pressure-mediated: the damage occurs...
By utilizing the rabbit model, previous studies have found good evidence indicating that vasectomy-induced spermatogenic damage is pressure-mediated: the damage occurs when the occluded reproductive tract is unable to accommodate additional spermatozoa produced by the testis. More studies with the more commonly used rat model have shown, however, controversial results on whether and why the damage occurs. In this study, 12 mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to unilateral vasectomy: double ligation (without severing) of the vas deferens exposed via a small inguinal incision; 37 days after the operation, the testes, epididymides, vasa deferentia (juxta-epididymal segments), and sperm granulomas (at the vasectomy site) were removed to obtain methacrylate resin-embedded sections and morphometric studies carried out with light microscopy. Marked spermatogenic damage with spermatids and spermatocytes depleted in the seminiferous epithelium in 43% of the seminiferous tubule profiles was demonstrated in 5 of the 12 testes on the vasectomized side, and the damage was associated with smaller or absent sperm granulomas; in the other 7 testes with essentially normal spermatogenesis, there was an increase (by 111% on average) in the volume of the tubule lumen, associated with larger granulomas or granulomas containing more spermatozoa. There was an overall increase (by 66%) in the thickness of the rete testis in the 12 testes; the epididymis or vas deferens showed no distension. It seems therefore that the spermatogenic damage induced by vasectomy in rats is pressure-mediated as well, and that variation in the damage depends mainly on the postoperative development of the sperm granuloma.
Topics: Animals; Genitalia, Male; Granuloma; Male; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Spermatozoa; Testis; Vasectomy
PubMed: 25791731
DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.150038 -
Toxicologic Pathology Dec 2019The 2019 annual National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium, entitled "Pathology Potpourri," was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the Society of Toxicologic...
The 2019 annual National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium, entitled "Pathology Potpourri," was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, at the Society of Toxicologic Pathology's 38th annual meeting. The goal of this symposium was to present and discuss challenging diagnostic pathology and/or nomenclature issues. This article presents summaries of the speakers' talks along with select images that were used by the audience for voting and discussion. Various lesions and topics covered during the symposium included aging mouse lesions from various strains, as well as the following lesions from various rat strains: rete testis sperm granuloma/fibrosis, ovarian cystadenocarcinoma, retro-orbital schwannoma, periductal cholangiofibrosis of the liver and pancreas, pars distalis hypertrophy, chronic progressive nephropathy, and renal tubule regeneration. Other cases included polyovular follicles in young beagle dogs and a fungal blood smear contaminant. One series of cases challenged the audience to consider how immunohistochemistry may improve the diagnosis of some tumors. Interesting retinal lesions from a rhesus macaque emphasized the difficulty in determining the etiology of any particular retinal lesion due to the retina's similar response to vascular injury. Finally, a series of lesions from the International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria Non-Rodent Fish Working Group were presented.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Pathology; Toxicology
PubMed: 31645210
DOI: 10.1177/0192623319876929