The occurrence of sperm antibodies has been studied in adult rats, which at prefertile age had been subjected to unilateral vasectomy, unilateral or bilateral crush injury of the vas or bilateral resection of the ductal artery. By means of indirect immunofluorescence technique, circulating sperm antibodies could be demonstrated in the blood in all groups 13 weeks postoperatively: unilateral vasectomy 15/17 (88%), unilateral crush injury 14/20 (70%), bilateral crush injury 13/20 (65%) and vascular injury 14/20 (70%). Sperm granulomas were observed in the unilateral vasectomy group (14/17) and in the bilateral crush injury group (4/20), whereas no sperm granulomas were seen in the unilateral crush injury or the vascular injury group.
An experimental model for vas replacement by transplantation of either vas or a vascular graft in attempt to restore patency in cases of a substance loss of vas that cannot be overcome by vasovasostomy was developed. Three transplant lengths, representing 10, 20 and 30% of the entire vas length, were used. The results showed an overall patency of 43% but for the transplant length representing 10% of the vas patency was achieved in approximately 75% of the cases regardless of the type of transplant used. Unpatency was usually due to occlusion of the proximal anastomosis, which in turn was considered to be due to a combination of unfavourable nutritional, neural and surgical factors. It is concluded that vas replacement by transplantation using either vas or a vascular graft is possible to perform experimentally and gives acceptable patency rates up to a transplant length of 10% of the entire vas length.
The anastomosis patency after autotransposition of vas (ATV) using an absorbable and a nonabsorbable suture material (10-0 Vicryl vs Ethilon) and the fertility have been investigated in a rat model. The patency rate and fertility in the absorbable group were 84% and 48%, respectively, compared with 93% and 59% in the nonabsorbable group. Sperm granulomas occurred in 60% and 48%, respectively. Sperm antibodies were present in 36% of the cases but did not have an impact on the fertility. The fertility after ATV seems to be comparable to the fertility in experimental and clinical vasovasostomy series. Further, the two suture materials appear equivalent with respect to patency and fertility in ATV.
The patency rate of vasovasostomy in autotransposed vas has been studied using a technique set up in a rat model. In a two-stage procedure, 1 cm of the vas deferens was transposed to the opposite side. The anastomoses were performed with a simplified microsurgical suturing technique. On final examination, 9 of 15 rats operated upon showed good sperm passage over the transposed vas segment. Sperm granulomas were recorded in four of fifteen cases. Sperm antibodies were demonstrated in eight of fifteen cases.
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