Male Fertility after Spermatocele Formation from Tunica Vaginalis in Patients with Bilateral Vas Agenesis

Abstract

To form spermatocele from vaginal layers as a sperm reservoir and intra-uterine insemination (IUI) in infertile men with bilateral vas agenesis (BVA), we studied 19 patients with azoospermia due to BVA referred to our infertility clinic from March 1992 until May 2003. The ages of the patients ranged from 20-41 (mean 29.6 ± 5.8) years. After physical examination, hormone assay, testis biopsy, and confirming normal spermatogenesis, we have performed 23 alloplastic spermatoceles from the tunica vaginal layers in 11 patients. We retrieved sperms and performed IUI in 6 patients′ wives 3 months post-operation when scrotal sonography revealed spermatocele with a good volume of seminal liquid. Among 6 patients′ wives, 2 successful preg-nancies occurred, and 2 normal babies (one boy with normal bilateral vas and one girl) were delivered successfully by cesarean section. We conclude that although the method of choice for fer-tility in BVA in artificial reproductive therapy era is percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), but when the sophisticated facilities are not available or cost-effectiveness is matter of concern, alloplastic spermatocele from tunica vaginalis and IUI may be a viable option.

Keywords

• Spermatocele
• Bilateral vas agenesis
• Azoospermia
• Tunica Vaginalis
• Infertility