title: Quantitative analysis of testicular histology in patients with vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy: comparison to vasectomized men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effects on spermatogenesis of lifelong vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Testicular histology was analyzed quantitatively in 15 post-herniorrhaphy patients with vasal obstruction for a mean of 28.5 years (group 1). The results were compared to those of 19 vasectomy patients with obstruction for a mean of 8.2 years (group 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significantly fewer total germ cells per tubular cross section in group 1 than in group 2 (p < 0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between the duration of obstruction and total germ cells per tubule (r = -0.389, p < 0.03, 34 patients). The tubular diameter was significantly larger in group 2 than in group 1 (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy have decreased spermatogenesis compared to post-vasectomy patients, probably due to the longer obstruction period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muguruma
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okuno
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horii
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D014649:Vas Deferens; D014659:Vasectomy