Vasography: Application of an Epidural Catheter

Abstract

Vasography is an accepted uroradiographic procedure primarily used in the evaluation of infertile men with azoospermia or severe oligospermia. We present a technique of utilizing an epidural catheter to facilitate vasography.The role of vasography in the treatment of the male genitourinary system has evolved over the years. In the past, it has been used in the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer (Beck et al, 1978), congenital disorders (Gibbons et al, 1978), and the treatment of genitourinary infections (Fourcade and Jardin, 1981). However, in the modern era, vasography has been used primarily in the treatment of infertile men with azoospermia or severe oligospermia.Most urologists feel that vasography should be performed in men with azoospermia or severe oligospermia who have normal gonadotropins, palpable bilateral vas deferens, and a testicular biopsy documenting spermatogenesis.