title: Clinical features and therapeutic strategies of obstructive azoospermia in patients treated by bilateral inguinal hernia repair in childhood.
abstract: Childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy is one common cause of seminal tract obstruction. Vasovasostomy (VV) can reconstruct seminal deferens and result in appearance of sperm and natural pregnancy in some patients. Secondary epididymal obstruction caused by a relatively long-term vasal obstruction is a common cause of lower patency compared with VV due to vasectomy in adults. From July 2007 to June 2012, a total of 62 patients, with history of childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy and diagnosed as obstructive azoospermia were treated in our center. The overall patency rate and natural pregnancy rate were 56.5% (35/62) and 25.8% (16/62), respectively. 48.4% (30/62) of the patients underwent bilateral VV in the inguinal region, with a patency rate of 76.7% (23/30) and a natural pregnancy rate of 36.7% (11/30), respectively. 30.6% (19/62) of the patients underwent bilateral VV and unilateral or bilateral vasoepididymostomies due to ipsilateral epididymal obstruction with the patency and natural pregnancy rate decreasing to 63.2% (12/19) and 26.3% (5/19). 21.0% (13/62) of the patients merely underwent vasal exploration without reconstruction due to failure to find distal vasal stump, etc. Our study indicate that microsurgical reanastomosis is an effective treatment for some patients with seminal tract obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy.
authors.forename: Xiang-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong-Xiang
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yi-Ran
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ping
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000601:surgery*; D014669:Vasovasostomy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult