Post Date December, 03 2023
How to diagnose obstructive azoospermia? Experts recommend that obstructive azoospermia is caused by the obstruction of the spermatic duct, which hinders the transportation of sperm and produces azoospermia. The incidence of obstructive azoospermia in male infertility is approximately 1%. Among azoospermia patients, the proportion of obstructive causes is also high, ranging from 42% to 48%. So, how to diagnose obstructive azoospermia? Let's talk about it in detail for you.
How to diagnose obstructive azoospermia?
The main characteristics of obstructive azoospermia are:; Testicular size is normal, FSH value is normal, but sperm count is reduced or azoospermia occurs. During palpation, it can be found that the epididymis is hardened and thickened, and the vas deferens atrophy. Ultrasound of scrotal contents can display direct signs of the epididymis. Rectal ultrasound can detect changes in the prostate and seminal vesicles, such as infections, malformations, and cysts. Some seminal plasma biochemical indicators
Obstructive azoospermia has certain differential diagnostic value, such as in epididymal fluid α- Glycosidase, fructose secreted by the seminal vesicle, and zinc ions secreted by the prostate gland. Check: Do you have these characteristics of obstructive azoospermia?
When bilateral obstruction occurs, there is a lack of secretion in the semen above the obstruction, while secretion below the obstruction remains normal. When unilateral or partial obstruction occurs, differential diagnosis is more difficult.
Angiography of the vas deferens can be helpful in identifying the location of obstruction. Common methods or approaches for performing angiography include: percutaneous vas deferens angiography, B-ultrasound guided seminal vesiculography, and retrograde transejaculatory catheterization. Various methods have different diagnostic sensitivities for different locations of obstruction, but attention should be paid to the iatrogenic obstruction caused by angiography.
Experts in our hospital say that vas deferens puncture angiography can not only cause mechanical damage to the vas deferens, but also damage the mucous membrane of the vas deferens with high concentrations of some contrast agents. Therefore, when performing vas deferens angiography in our hospital, we only target two populations: congenital malformations of the vas deferens and traumatic obstruction of the vas deferens, which are responsible for the reproductive health of patients, reduce pain, and have a high accuracy rate of up to 80-90%
(Intern Editor: Huang Jiazhen)
