Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy for recurrent hemospermia: experience from 419 cases / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

We summarized our experience in transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy (TSV) for recurrent hemospermia by introducing surgical techniques, intraoperative findings, and treatment outcomes. TSV was performed in 419 patients with an initial diagnosis of persistent hemospermia at Shanghai Changhai Hospital (Shanghai, China) from May 2007 to November 2015. TSV was successfully performed in 381 cases (90.9%). Hemospermia was alleviated or disappeared in 324 (85.0%) patients by 3 months after surgery. Common intraoperative manifestations were bleeding, obstruction or stenosis, mucosal lesions, and calculus. Endoscopic presentation of the ejaculatory duct orifice and the verumontanum was categorized into four types, including 8 (1.9%), 32 (7.6%), 341 (81.4%), and 38 (9.1%) cases in Types A, B, C, and D, respectively. TSV is an effective and safe procedure in the management of seminal tract disorders. This study may help other surgeons to become familiar with and improve this procedure. However, further multicentric clinical trials are warranted to validate these findings.

Surgical treatment of azoospermia caused by iatrogenic injury to bilateral vas deferens / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>Objective</b>To investigate the treatment of azoospermia induced by iatrogenic injury to the bilateral vas deferens.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively analyzed 11 cases of azoospermia caused by iatrogenic injury to bilateral vas deferens. The patients were aged 20－33 years, all diagnosed with azoospermia preoperatively and none with a history of pelvic operation. Seven of them had received bilateral inguinal hernia repair and the other 4 undergone bilateral orchidopexy in the childhood.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intraoperative exploration of the bilateral inguinal region was performed in all the patients. Bilateral vas deference atresia was found in the inguinal canal in 6 cases, which was treated by microscopic vasovasostomy following removal of the atresic segment. Vas deferens residual was observed in or near the deep inguinal ring in the other 5 cases, with the distal vas deferens inaccessible, which was treated by bilateral vasovasostomy in 3 cases and unilateral vasovasostomy in 2 (for longer defect segment than could be anastomosed) following combined laparoscopic exploration of the abdominal cavity. The patients were followed up for 3－12 months postoperatively, during which sperm were detected in 7 cases, with sperm concentration ranging from 0.4×10⁶/ml to 35×10⁶/ml and grade a+b sperm from 15% to 46%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For the diagnosis of azoospermia, especially in patients with no history of pelvic operation, special attention should be paid to iatrogenic injury to the vas deferens. For the treatment of the disease, non-tension vasovasostomy is essential and, when necessary, the vas deferens can be reconstructed by changing its anatomical path and shortening its length.</p>

Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy for refractory or recurrent hemospermia: clinical analysis of 162 cases / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the feasibility and effect of transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of refractory or recurrent hemospermia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively analyzed 162 cases of refractory or recurrent hemospermia examined and treated by transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy. The patients ranged in age from 19 to 76 years and had a hemospermia history of 3 months to 11 years, admitted due to poor therapeutic results or recurrence after 4 weeks of antibiotic medication. All the patients underwent serum PSA examination, transrectal ultrasonography, seminal vesicle ultrasonography and pelvis CT or MRI before surgery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Wine- or magenta-colored colloid and inflammation were found in one or both sides of the seminal vesicle in all the cases. Pathological biopsy revealed chronic inflammatory mucosa of the seminal vesicle in all the patients, and even calculi in the ejaculatory duct or seminal vesicle in 15 cases. Postoperative follow-up averaged 21.7 (12 -29) months. Hemospermia disappeared or was alleviated in 150 (92.64%) of the cases after 1-15 ejaculations, in which 7 experienced recurrence 3 months later. Four cases failed to respond, and 1 developed acute bilateral epididymitis after surgery. No such complications as retrograde ejaculation, urinary incontinence or rectal injury were observed postoperatively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy is a safe, effective and feasible new method for the treatment of refractory or recrudescent hemospermia.</p>

Efficacy and safety of long-term small-dose tadalafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Erectile dysfunction (ED) is now recognized as a comorbid condition, especially in men with cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. This randomized controlled trial was to examine the effect of long-term small-dose tadalafil in the treatment of ED.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 98 men older than 18 years with at least a 6-month ED history were enlisted and divided into two groups to receive once-daily treatment with tadalafil at 5 mg (n = 60) and 20 mg (n = 38), respectively, for 12 months. The effects of medication were analyzed and compared using IIEF, Global Assessment Questionnaire (GAQ) and Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP), and so were the safety and tolerance of the two doses.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were no statistically significant differences in the therapeutical results between the 5 mg and 20 mg groups (P < 0.05). The IIEF-5 score was raised by 8.1 points in the former and 7.9 points in the latter; the YES answers to SEP2 in the two groups were 51.3% and 49.2% before the treatment and 82.6% and 84.9% after it. No serious adverse events were observed, except some common ones, such as rubeosis (11.9% vs 8.7%) and headache (5.3% vs 4.9%) in the 5 mg and 20 mg groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Oral tadalafil at 5 mg once daily is efficacious with good tolerance in the treatment of ED, and it can be an alternative to on-demand medication for some men to eliminate the inconvenience of planned intercourse within a limited timeframe.</p>