Quantitative analysis of testicular histology in patients with vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy: comparison to vasectomized men.
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.
Matsuda
T
T
Department of Urology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Hiura
Y
Y
Muguruma
K
K
Okuno
H
H
Horii
Y
Y
Yoshida
O
O
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