[Ultrasonographic changes in the epididymis after long-term vasectomy].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the ultrasonographic changes in the epididymis after long-term vasectomy.


METHODS
Sixty-four patients with a history of vasectomy for more than 10 years (vasectomy group) and another 60 without vasectomy (control group) were included in the study. The patients were referred to scrotal ultrasonography for epididymal indications. The shape, thickness and internal echoes of the head, body and tail of the epididymis were observed with high frequency ultrasonography (HFU), and the blood flow changes were observed with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) or color Doppler power imaging (CDPI).


RESULTS
Significantly higher rates were found in the vasectomy group than in the control: thickened body (64.1% vs 15.0%) and tail (78.1% vs 51.7%) of the epididymis, thickened head, body and tail (42.2% vs 8.3%) of the epididymis, and epididymal tubular ectasia (54.7% vs 8.3%). However, increased blood flow in the epididymis was seen at a significantly lower rate in the vasectomy group than in the control (15.6% vs 61.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
The ultrasonographic changes in the epididymis after long-term vasectomy were mainly epididymis thickening and epididymal tubular ectasia, mostly with no or diminished blood flow in the epididymis.
Cao
Li-ting
LT
Department of Ultrasound, the Affiliated Hospital, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan 637000, China. caoltnc@163.com
Yang
Zheng-wei
ZW
Gu
Peng
P
Zhang
Min-hui
MH
Zhang
Qing
Q
Deng
Xian-zhong
XZ
Wang
Ji-zhong
JZ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004822:Epididymis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014659:Vasectomy