RESUMO
Objective To study the relationship between small Y and azoospermia factor (AZF)microdeletions and the effect on male infertility.Methods Data of 379 infertile males of chromosomal karyotype analysis from May 2010 to October 2011 were investigated.Patients with small Y chromosome were also performed C banding and AZF microdeletions,and their fathers and brothers were offered the same examinations.Results Eight patients were small Y chromosome,and their fathers or brothers' chromosome karyotypes were consistent with the probands.Among the 8 cases,there were 3 patients with AZF microdeletions,while their fathers and brothers didn't have microdeletions.Another 5 cases of small Y and their fathers did not exist AZF microdeletions.Conclusions The small Y karyotype is not the key factors that cause male infertility.The reason for infertile patients with small Y and AZF microdeletions was maybe the microdeletions.However,patients with small Y but without AZF microdeletions are not important to male infertility.