Association between the length of the vas deferens excised during vasectomy and the risk of postvasectomy recanalization.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between the length of the vas deferens excised during vasectomy and the risk of recanalization.


METHODS
Nested case-control study.


METHODS
Hospital-based Family Planning Clinic in Quebec City (Canada).


METHODS
Among 870 vasectomized men, all 47 cases of spontaneous recanalization and 188 controls whose first semen analysis showed either azoospermia (controls A) or <1 x 10(6)/mL nonmotile sperm (controls B).


METHODS
Spontaneous recanalization defined as a semen analysis showing any motile sperm 6 weeks or more after vasectomy.


RESULTS
Individual vas segments excised ranged from 5 to 20 mm in 227 (97%) of the 235 participants. The mean +/- SD of the average of both segments for each man was 12 +/- 4 mm, identical in cases and in controls. In cases and controls A, the risk ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) of recanalization with an average of segments of <10 mm and 10-14 mm was 0.6 (0.1-2.0) and 0.6 (0.2-1.6) when compared to 15 mm or more, respectively. In cases vs. controls B, the risk ratio of recanalization was 1.6 (0.4-7.7) and 0.6 (0.2-1.7), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort, there was no association between the length of vas segment excised and the risk of recanalization.
Evaluation Research Unit, Research Center, Hôpital Saint-François d'Assise, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec (CHUQ), Québec, Québec, Canada. Michel.labrecque@mfa.ulaval.ca
Michel
M
Labrecque
Diem-Quan
DQ
Hoang
Lucile
L
Turcot
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011792:Quebec; D012307:Risk Factors; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014659:Vasectomy / Q000379:methods*