Early successful orchidopexy does not prevent from developing azoospermia
Int. braz. j. urol
; 32(5): 570-573, Sept.-Oct. 2006.
Article
in En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-439391
Responsible library:
BR1.1
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The incidence of Ad spermatogonia (stem cells for fertility) was assessed in 20 cryptorchid patients, all of whom had a successful orchidopexy in childhood but developed azoospermia following puberty. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
From a cohort of 231 patients who had a semen analysis following successful orchidopexy 20 patients (9 percent) had azoospermia. The patients were classified into 2 groups according to the time of surgery A = < 21 months of age (n = 5, mean = 10.7 ± 8.6 months) and B = during childhood (n = 15, mean = 10.1 ± 3 years). Nine of the 20 patients (45 percent) had bilateral cryptorchidism A = 1 and B = 8. Testicular biopsies were performed during orchidopexy and analyzed with semi-thin technique. The number of Ad spermatogonia and entire number of germ cells was determined. The patients' semen analyses were evaluated at least twice; FSH and testosterone plasma values were estimated.RESULTS:
In group A, all patients had germ cells at the time of surgery (mean = 1.04 ± 1.4 germ cells per tubular cross section); only 6 patients in group B (40 percent) had no germ cells (mean = 0.17 ± 0.4); A vs. B, p = 0.0133. Importantly, Ad spermatogonia were absent in the entire study population. The plasma FSH of 16 patients (80 percent) was abnormal [median = 16.35 IU/L (Interquartile range of sample - IQR 9.075-27.85 95 percent CI, 3-53)] while the plasma testosterone of all the patients was normal.CONCLUSIONS:
The most severe cause of infertility in cryptorchid patients cannot be mitigated by an early successful surgery alone.
Full text:
1
Index:
LILACS
Main subject:
Spermatogonia
/
Testosterone
/
Orchiectomy
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Cryptorchidism
/
Azoospermia
/
Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
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Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Int. braz. j. urol
Journal subject:
UROLOGIA
Year:
2006
Type:
Article