Quantitative analysis of testicular histology in patients with vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy: comparison to vasectomized men.

Abstract

We investigated the effects on spermatogenesis of lifelong vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy. Testicular histology was analyzed quantitatively in 15 post-herniorrhaphy patients with vasal obstruction for a mean of 28.5 years (group 1). The results were compared to those of 19 vasectomy patients with obstruction for a mean of 8.2 years (group 2). There were significantly fewer total germ cells per tubular cross section in group 1 than in group 2 (p < 0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between the duration of obstruction and total germ cells per tubule (r = -0.389, p < 0.03, 34 patients). The tubular diameter was significantly larger in group 2 than in group 1 (p < 0.01). Patients with vas deferens obstruction caused by childhood inguinal herniorrhaphy have decreased spermatogenesis compared to post-vasectomy patients, probably due to the longer obstruction period.