Crossover transseptal vasovasostomy: alternative for very selected cases of iatrogenic injury to vas deferens

ABSTRACT Inguinal herniorraphy is a possible cause of iatrogenic seminal tract obstruction. Diagnosing and correcting these vasal injuries can be challenging. Successful re-anastomosis is technically challenging, with relatively low success rates. An uncommon alternative for selected cases is the crossover transseptal vasovasostomy. We herein report a case of a 36-year-old male patient with vas deferens injury after herniorraphy and a contralateral hypotrophic testis. He was successfully treated through microsurgical crossover transseptal vasovasostomy, with spontaneous pregnancy achieved, and the technique is presented in details.

Sperm analysis of the vas deferens fluid after a long interval of unilateral percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration in vasectomized patients

Objectives Evaluation of the presence of spermatozoa in vas deferens fluid after a long interval of unilateral and homolateral percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) in vasectomized men. When found, the spermatozoa were evaluated including concentration and motility, in order to verify the patency of the epididymal tubules. Materials and Methods Four patients, numbered in a progressive order, from one to four, with 38, 40, 48 and 51 years old and vasectomy interval of 10, 10, 25 and 11 years, respectively, whose wives did not get pregnant using intracytoplasmic sperm injection of sperm obtained by unilateral PESA and decided to try only natural conception, were submitted to intrasurgical sperm analysis of the vas deferens fluid (ISAVDF) during microsurgery for reconstruction of the seminal tract. Results Time interval between PESA and ISAVDF was 13.75 ± 11.12 months (x ± s) varying from 3 to 29 months. Homolateral ISAVDF and PESA showed the presence of spermatozoa. Patients 1, 2 and 4 had a high concentration of 10 x 106, 64 x 106 and 45 x 106 spermatozoa/ mL; the first two had motile sperms and patient 3 had no sperms. Conclusions Three of four patients showed spermatozoa in the vas deferens fluid after a long interval of unilateral and homolateral PESA with high concentration, including motile forms. These findings support the concept that PESA may not result in late epipidymal tubule obstruction in vasectomized patients. .

Obstructive azoospermia: reconstructive techniques and results

Obstructive azoospermia is a common cause of male infertility and can result from infection, congenital anomalies, or iatrogenic injury. Microsurgical vasal reconstruction is a suitable treatment for many cases of obstructive azoospermia, although some couples will require sperm retrieval paired with in-vitro fertilization. The various causes of obstructive azoospermia and recommended treatments will be examined. Microsurgical vasovasostomy and vasoepididymostomy will be discussed in detail. The postoperative patency and pregnancy rates for surgical reconstruction of obstructive azoospermia and the impact of etiology, obstructive interval, sperm granuloma, age, and previous reconstruction on patency and pregnancy will be reviewed.

Reversão de vasectomia microcirúrgica / Microsurgical vasectomy reversal

Introdução: embora a reversão de vasectomia seja amplamente executada, não existem registros que avaliem os resultados obtidos por essa cirurgia no Hospital Getúlio Vargas, em Recife (PE) (HGV-PE). Objetivo: avaliar a taxa de patência e compará-la entre os grupos de pacientes com intervalo de obstrução menor ou igual e superior a oito anos. Materiais e métodos: 21 pacientes foram submetidos à reversão de vasectomia entre março de 2007 a janeiro de 2009 no HGV-PE. Doze pacientes tinham intervalo de obstrução menor ou igual a oito anos e nove deles tinham intervalo de obstrução maior que oito anos. Foram acompanhados por um período mínimo de seis meses e realizaram pelo menos um espermograma após dois meses de pós-operatório. A patência foi definida como qualquer número de espermatozoides no espermograma. Para comparação dos grupos com relação à patência, foi aplicado o teste exato de Fisher. Resultados: houve uma taxa de patência em 19 (90,5%) pacientes. Os dois pacientes que não obtiveram patência pertenciam ao grupo com intervalo de obstrução superior a oito anos. Porém, os grupos não se mostraram estatisticamente diferentes com relação à patência (p=0,171). Conclusões: a reversão de vasectomia microcirúrgica realizada no HGV-PE obteve uma taxa elevada de patência que não foi influenciada pelo intervalo de obstrução.

Introduction: although vasectomy reversal has been widely performed, there are no records that allow assessing the results of this surgery in the Getúlio Vargas Hospital in Recife (PE) (HGV-PE). Objective: to evaluate the patency rate and compare it between groups of patients with obstructive interval less than or equal to eight years and more than eight years. Material and methods: Twenty-one patients underwent vasectomy reversal from March 2007 to January 2009 at the HGV-PE. Twelve patients had obstructive interval less than or equal to eight years and nine had obstructive interval greater than eight years. They were followed for a minimum period of six months and had at least one semen analysis two months after the procedure. The patency was defined as any number of spermatozoa. In order to compare the groups with respect to patency, we used the Fisher’s exact test. Results: there was a patency rate in 19 (90.5%) patients. The two patients who did not obtain patency belonged to the group with obstructive interval greater than eight years. However, the groups were not statistically different with respect to patency (p=0.171). Conclusions: the vasectomy reversal surgery performed at the HGV-PE with microsurgical techniques achieved a high patency rate, which was not influenced by the obstructive interval.

Vasovasostomía: experiencia personal con una técnica microquirúrgica simplificada / Vasovasostomy: personal experience with a simplified microsurgical technique

La vasectomía es el método de anticoncepción masculina más efectivo y estable, sin efectos adversos en la sexualidad ni función gonadal. En países industrializados es de muy alta demanda, lo que conlleva también una relativamente elevada necesidad de reversión quirúrgica asociada a la inestabilidad de pareja que existe en la sociedad actual. En nuestro país, hasta muy reciente, la frecuencia de realización de la vasectomíaera bastante baja en comparación a Europa y Estados Unidos, por lo cual la vasovasostomía también es de baja demanda. Las técnicas de vasovasostomías descritas son complejas y obligan a un entrenamiento microquirúrgico siginificativo. Se describe aquí una técnica microquirúrgica simplificada y que conserva los resultados de permeabilización óptimos esperados. Quince enfermos son vasovasostomizados, de acuerdo a la técnica microquirúrgica sugerida, con recuperación espermática en semen en todos ellos. Esto nos alienta para insistir, a nivel de programas de salud pública, en fomentar la vasectomía como una forma fácil, sencilla, barata y reversible de contracepción masculina.

Vasectomy is the most effective and stable male contraceptive method. In western countries the rates of vasectomy varies between 18-50 percent of men. This means also high “prevalence” of vasovasostomies due to the current couples instability. In Chile,to recently, vasectomy was a quite low rate surgical procedure, so vasovasostomy has a still lower rate. Described vasovasostomies surgical technique are complex and require a microsurgical significative training. Herein its presented a simplified microsurgical technique with optimal permeability outcomes. This results encoureges to teach about vasectomy as a simple, easy, unexpensive and reversible male contraceptive method for couples in our national health service.

Comparison of vasovasostomy with conventional microsurgical suture and fibrin adhesive in rats

OBJECTIVE: Microsurgical procedures are currently the gold standard for vasovasostomy with excellent results, but it takes an increased operative time demanding special training and experience in microsurgery. The objective of this study is to reach the same results with reduced operative time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male adults Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: I) 20 rats in control group, II) 20 with conventional one-layer microsuture and III) 20 with fibrin glue. After four weeks each rat was left for two weeks with two female rats. RESULTS: The fertility rates were 80 percent in group I, 70 percent in group II and 65 percent in group III (p > 0.05). In group II granuloma was found in 75 percent of the rats, while in group III in 85 percent (p < 0.05). Anastomosis was considered with patency in 75 percent and 80 percent of the rats in groups II and III (p > 0.05). Overall operative time was 41.7 ± 2.49 and 28.55 ± 1.14 minutes in groups II and III (p < 0.05) and the time to anastomosis of 24.6 ± 1.8 and 9.35 ± 0.78 minutes (p < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We can conclude that vasovasostomy with fibrin adhesive has the same results of the conventional microsurgery technique but with a reduced operative time and a simplified procedure.

Vasovasostomías efectuadas en 60 casos, desde junio de 1990 a enero de 1994 / Vasovasostomies performed in 60 cases from June 1990 to January 1994

60 vasovasostomies were performed between june 1990 and january 1994, following the modified one layer technique, under microscopic magnification. All the patients who requested the surgical procedure were included in the present study despite their age or time after vasectomy, in order to have a non selected group. Follow up was given with sperm counts processed under similar standards and performed at 2, 4 and 6 months after the surgical procedure. Our overall experience seems to confirm that strong correlation does not exist between the surgical technique used (one layer vs two layer), but the lapse of time passed between the vasectomy and the reversal is critical. In our series a pregnancy rate of 56.6% was achieved, with a patency rate of 86.7%