Clinical features & diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of congenital absence of the vas deferens / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We summarized the clinical data of 81 cases of CAVD and investigated clinical features, diagnosis and management of the disease.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventy-nine cases of infertility were diagnosed as CAVD at the clinic, and 2 were diagnosed during surgical exploration. The population consisted of 40 cases of congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD), 25 cases of congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD), and 16 cases of segmental agenesis of the vas deferens. Seventy-four spouses received the treatment of assisted reproductive techniques, including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in 12 cases, and 4 of them achieved pregnancy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CAVD frequently presents with infertility. CBAVD may manifest as obstructive azoospermia, and CUAVD and segmental vasal agenesis as oligospermia, asthenospermia, or obstructive azoospermia. CAVD is usually not difficult to diagnose, but may be missed due to careless examination. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) plays a key role in the management of CAVD.</p>