Effect of vasovasostomy on contralateral testicular damage associated with unilateral vasectomy in mature and immature Lewis rats.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine if laser-assisted vasovasostomy could reverse the contralateral histologic testicular changes associated with unilateral vasectomy.


METHODS
A prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled study.


METHODS
Animal microsurgical laboratory, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri.


METHODS
Twenty mature and 20 immature male Lewis rats.


METHODS
Ten mature and 10 immature male Lewis rats underwent unilateral vasectomy. At 5 months, testicular biopsy and laser-assisted vasovasostomies were performed followed 2 months later by evaluation of vas patency and repeat testicular biopsy. Control animals consisted of 10 rats in each group, 5 that underwent sham operations and 5 that had halothane anesthesia alone.


RESULTS
In the immature and mature groups unilateral vasectomy resulted in marked contralateral testicular damage in 30% (3 of 10) and 50% (5 of 10), respectively. Vas patency determined 2 months after vasovasostomy was 80% (8 of 10) in the mature group and 89% (8 of 9) in the immature group. No animal that had contralateral testicular changes after vasectomy and a patent vas after vasovasostomy showed improvement in testicular histology.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that contralateral testicular damage associated with unilateral vasectomy is not improved 2 months after successful vasovasostomy in mature or immature Lewis rats.
West
D A
DA
Division of Urology, St. John's Mercy Medical Center and Saint Louis University, Missouri 63141-8277, USA.
Chehval
M J
MJ
Winkelmann
T
T
Martin
S A
SA
D000818:Animals; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*; D014659:Vasectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014669:Vasovasostomy / Q000379:methods