Studies on the histopathological changes in the human testis after vasectomy

Kim, Jong Kwon; Woo, Young Nam

Abstract

To determine the effect of vasectomy on the human testis, author compared testicular biopsy specimens from 27 healthy men undergoing vasectomy reversal with those from 21 healthy fertile volunteers. The data of the control group, those normal persons, were obtained from the other study. The qualitative and morphometric quantitative analyses were performed for the data obtained. The average age of the post-vasectomy group was 35.3+/-4.6 years old (29-48 years old). The mean duration of vasal obstruction was 48+/-34 months (3-144 months). The mean volume of testis was 19.0+/-3.3ml (12-25ml) for the right side and 18.7+/-3.5ml (15-25ml) for the left side at the time of vasovasostomy. Through the observation of the testicular biopsy, the decreased spermatogenesis was revealed in all 27 cases. Atrophic seminiferous tubules were observed in 24 cases (89.4%) and focal interstitial fibrosis was revealed in 7 cases (25.9%). seventeen cases (63.0%) showed Leydig cell hyperplasia. Maturation arrest and germ cell aplasia were not observed. Morphometric quantitative analyses revealed a significant increase in the mean thickness of seminiferous tubular walls to 16.0+/-2.1um (10.7-19.4um). Further, there were significant increases in the mean diameter of cross sectional seminiferous tubule to 223+/-19.0um (183-258um) and in the mean area to 37,300+/-6,200um2 (27,800-48,200um2). The mean numbers of mature spermatids and Sertoli cells were reduced significantly to 2418 (10-40) and 14+/-3 (8-22) respectively per tubular cross section. Person correlation were analyzed to find out whether age and duration of vasal obstruction had statistically significant correlations with each variables used to show the changes of testicular tissue in this study. While the tubular wall thickness. the cross sectional tubular area and the number of mature spermatids and Sertoli cells were not significantly correlated with the age and the duration of vasal obstruction (p>0.01), seminiferous tubular diameter showed significantly negative correlations with the age and the duration of vasal obstruction (p<0.01).The tubular diameter decreased as the age and the duration of vasal obstruction increased. It can be concluded that there would be significant histologic changes in the human testis after vasectomy.