Results of microsurgical anastomosis in men with seminal tract obstruction due to inguinal herniorrhaphy

ABSTRACT

The incidence of vasal injury during inguinal herniorrhaphy is estimated at 0.5 percent. We sought to assess the patency rates and long-term fertility outcome after microsurgical repair of vasal obstruction related to prior inguinal herniorrhaphy. METHODS: Twenty procedures were performed on 13 men diagnosed with infertility and vasal injury secondary to previous inguinal herniorrhaphy. Eight of these men had undergone bilateral and 5 unilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy. Twelve procedures were vasovasostomies, 3 were crossover vasovasostomies, 2 were vasoepididymostomies, and 3 were crossover vasoepididymostomies. Eight patients were azoospermic, 2 were severely oligospermic (<1 M/mL), 1 was oligospermic, and 2 were asthenospermic. Patency data was obtained on all 13 patients, and pregnancy data was available for 10 couples (77 percent), with a mean follow-up of 69.5 months. RESULTS: The overall patency rate was 65 percent. In the vasovasostomy group, the patency rate was 60 percent (9/15), and in the vasoepididymostomy group it was 80 percent (4/5). Among the azoospermic patients, 13 procedures were performed. The patency rate was 42.9 percent for the vasovasostomy (3/7), and 100 percent for the vasoepididymostomy procedure (4/4). The overall pregnancy rate was 40 percent. Of the men who underwent vasoepididymostomy, 80 percent (4/5) established a pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Microsurgical vasovasostomy after inguinal vas injury results in a reasonable patency rate but a lower pregnancy rate than that after vasectomy reversal. When microsurgical vasoepididymostomy was possible, it resulted in high patency and pregnancy rate. Crossover vasoepididymostomy, when appropriate, can be a useful alternative to inguinal vasovasostomy