Changes in the testes following vasectomy in the rat.
Six months and more after unilateral vasectomy in the rat, ipsilateral (same side) and bilateral testicular atrophy are common; this paper investigates their etiology. Ipsilateral atrophy is associated with the presence of a sperm granuloma in the head of the corresponding epididymis and appears to be pressure-mediated. That sperm granulomas at the epididymal head fail to relieve intraluminal pressure in the epididymal duct of the rat was supported by a study of the effects of ligation of that region. No histological evidence was found to indicate that bilateral atrophy was the result of an immune response. A radiological study does not support the idea that compression or displacement of testicular blood vessels by sperm granulomas is responsible for bilateral atrophy.
McDonald
S W
SW
Laboratory of Human Anatomy, University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Lockhart
A
A
Gormal
D
D
Bennett
N K
NK
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D004822:Epididymis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006099:Granuloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011312:Pressure; D011859:Radiography; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D014659:Vasectomy