INDUCTION OF SPERMATOGENESIS IN AZOOSPERMIC MEN AFTER VARICOCELE REPAIR

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the treatment outcome after varicocele repair in azoospermic men and to correlate this outcome with the testicular histology patterns. Medical records of 21 azoospermic men who underwent testis biopsy and microsurgical repair of clinical varicocele between July 1999 and March 2003 were reviewed. All patients had at least two semen analyses showing azoospermia taken before the surgery and two semen analyses postoperatively. Hypospermatogenesis was identified in seven, maturation arrest in six, and germ cell aplasia in eight men. Induction of spermatogenesis was achieved in nine men (42.85%). Of these, four had germ cell aplasia, three had maturation arrest and two hypospermatogenesis. Of these nine patients with improvement in semen quality, seven relapsed into azoospermia 6 months after the recovery of spermatogenesis (four germ cell aplasia, two maturation arrest, and one hypospermatogenesis). One patient with maturation arrest established pregnancy. Azoospermic patients may have an improvement in semen quality following varicocelectomy. Semen samples should be cryopreserved after an initial improvement following varicocelectomy.

Key words
Azoospermia, cryopreservation, semen, spermatozoa, varicocele

Bibliografía del artículo

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