Surgical management of male infertility beyond assisted reproductive technology / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of urological surgery for male infertility which is beyond the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively reviewed the records of 7 male infertility patients who, having failed to respond to ART, underwent urological surgery from 1999 to 2003. Of the 7 cases, 4 were varicocele, 2 were post-bilateral vasectomy and 1 was bilateral chronic epididymitis. For the 7 patients, 6 times we performed in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) and 5 times we attempted intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) , but all failed. After that, we resorted to surgical approaches, ligation of internal spermatic veins in 4 cases, bilateral vasovasostomy in 2, and unilateral epididymovasostomy in 1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After surgical intervention, 2 cases fathered children, 1 achieved pregnancy and 3 cases improved in the quality and quantity of seminal fluid; only 1 failed to respond to the therapy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the treatment of male infertility, priority should be given to surgical intervention and, in case of failure, assisted reproductive technology could be considered.</p>