Does the prolene hernia system affect testicular function?

Over a period of 16 months, 20 male patients with unilateral primary inguinal hernias were operated upon in the Kasr Al Aini Hospital, Cairo University using the Prolene Hernia System. All patients underwent pre and post-operative semen analysis and scrotal scintigraphy to assess testicular perfusion. All, but one, patients showed no change in the semen analysis and sintigraphy from the preoperative value. This patient had signs of testicular ischemia as evidenced by decreased uptake of the radiotracer 3 months postoperatively. This case was attributed to injury of the vessels during dissection rather than due to the mesh itself